Overview
- President Vladimir Putin appointed Dmitry Polyansky as Russia’s permanent representative to the OSCE on December 29, and he described the body’s agenda as politicized and “Ukrainized” while calling for a return to practical dialogue to avert a wider European war.
- Polyansky said any EU move to deploy income from roughly €300 billion in frozen Russian assets, including about €180 billion held at Euroclear, would prompt retaliatory steps from Moscow and erode investor trust in European debt.
- He stated that the United States has not hurried to resolve accumulated problems in relations with Russia, citing unresolved issues around the functioning of diplomatic missions despite signals from both leaders to improve ties.
- U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff reported a productive discussion with European counterparts on strengthening security guarantees and designing mechanisms to prevent renewed conflict, as well as a package to support Ukraine’s post‑conflict prosperity, with participation from officials representing the U.S., U.K., France, Germany and Ukraine.
- Polyansky said the UN now reflects a more restrained U.S. approach under President Donald Trump on Ukraine, and Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban separately suggested the United States and Russia could reach a Ukraine peace agreement in 2026 without EU participation.