Europe will not have a seat at the table, but will instead be “on the menu” in Vladimir Putin’s vision of a new geopolitical order, former Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk warned at the 6th European Defence and Security Conference in Brussels on 29 October.

“Putin is dreaming of a new type of Yalta meeting with President Xi and President Trump and the EU won’t be at the table. The EU will be ‘on the menu’ and it is part of his geopolitical ambitions,” Yatsenyuk said.

With these remarks, Yatsenyuk compared a potential US-Russia-China deal excluding Europe to the 1945 Yalta Conference, where Allied leaders discussed the post-war order and Europe’s future, paving the way for decades of division and Soviet dominance in Eastern Europe.

Russia, he argued, aims to redraw Europe’s map, push NATO back towards its 1997 borders and reshape the continent’s spheres of influence.

“They want to move the borders of NATO. They want to actually double down on their efforts to redraw the new spheres of interest,” he said, warning that this poses a threat to every EU member state.

Peace negotiations: “sham talks”

Meanwhile, Yatsenyuk was deeply sceptical about diplomatic efforts to bring Moscow and Kyiv back to negotiations, including a possible next meeting in Abu Dhabi around 10 November, with US participation. He said Ukraine’s agenda included a ceasefire, a possible truce in the Black Sea and an energy ceasefire, alongside security guarantees. But he warned that Russia’s objectives were very different.

“Let me be very blunt: there was no peace talks at all. It’s a sham talks. The only reason why Putin decided to launch these talks, he wanted actually to buy the time,” he said.

According to Yatsenyuk, Moscow wants to draw the United States into its strategy, circumvent sanctions and regain access to the European energy market.

“They want once again to have Europe on the menu but in this sense, to have the European energy market on demand,” he said. “Putin is dreaming to be back on the European energy and gas market.”

Oleshky: not a “humanitarian” initiative

At the conference, Yatsenyuk argued that the operation in Oleshky was not a genuine humanitarian initiative, but an attempt by Russia to use civilians as hostages and bargaining chips, while turning their plight into propaganda.

Oleshky is a town in Ukraine’s Kherson region under Russian occupation. 2,000 Ukrainians are estimated to be held there. “They make hostages, they hold them in captivity and then they use them as a bargaining chip,” he said.

The local ceasefire, which began on 27 October, paused military operations in the area to allow humanitarian aid to enter and civilians to be evacuated through a safe passage.

However, Yatsenyuk questioned the initiative’s purpose, pointing to Russian involvement and American media observers: “Could you imagine who’s going to observe this kind of ceasefire? Newsmax and Fox News?” he said.

He also criticised a US special envoy for describing Putin as “humanitarian”, arguing that the label ignored the reality of Russia’s actions. “The answer is very clear: Russians are using these innocent Ukrainians as hostages,” he said.

“I still believe in the US”

Despite his criticism of Washington, Yatsenyuk insisted that he had not lost faith in the United States or its people. His remarks came amid controversy over Russian diesel and sanctions, as well as questions surrounding Trump’s energy deal with Putin and the prospect of a tripartite meeting involving China.

“Maybe you can call me naïve, but I still believe in the United States of America and in the people of the United States,” he said, claiming that 70% of Americans support Ukraine.

Looking ahead to the US midterm elections in November 2026, he argued that the vote could reflect public sentiment and bring a different political landscape, even if it would not change everything. He also pointed to the next presidential election as a potential turning point.

“We have to be very strong not only with our enemies but even with our close friends,” he said.

Europe should “speak with one voice”

Yatsenyuk urged Europe to speak “with one voice”, citing recent contacts with Putin by the Finnish president and the Norwegian prime minister. While saying he did not want to criticise them openly, he questioned the signal sent by these separate talks, noting that other European leaders had made similar attempts both before and after Russia’s full-scale invasion.

“It’s a sign of weakness. It is a clear signal that there is no united front, that the Europeans aren’t on the same page,” he said. “We have to speak in one voice.”

He urged EU states to move from freezing to confiscating Russian assets, arguing that the issue is as much about political will as it is about legal hurdles. While freezing prevents the assets from being used or transferred, confiscation would make the funds available to Ukraine.

Kyiv, he said, faces a $70 billion budget deficit next year and urgently needs financial help. Supporting Ukraine could also benefit European businesses, as Kyiv could spend up to €50 billion on European goods.

“Ukraine has to win this war. You can’t win the war without cash […] because we are paying not with the cash, we are paying with the flesh and blood. You can print cash, you can’t print human beings,” he concluded.

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