At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Valentina Matviyenko, the Speaker of the Federation Council of Russia, expressed skepticism about European leaders' willingness to engage in meaningful dialogue regarding Ukraine. She asserted that their current posture is merely an 'imitation' of readiness, lacking any substantive proposals that could facilitate negotiations. Matviyenko pointed out the inconsistency in European positions, citing German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's previous comments about Ukraine's NATO membership. She emphasized that for genuine dialogue to occur, Europe must first establish a comprehensive peace plan and identify potential compromises. Without this groundwork, any appointed negotiator would be unable to represent a flexible stance, as they would be bound to the EU's rigid position. Matviyenko dismissed the names of potential negotiators as 'laughable' and reiterated that no reasonable proposals have emerged from Europe to support negotiations, calling for clarity and commitment from European leaders before any talks can proceed.