Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that Russia was not opposed to Europe's involvement in Russia-U.S. peace talks aimed at settling the conflict in Ukraine, but noted that Brussels had long rejected any dialogue with Moscow.

In a dramatic shift in transatlantic relations under President Donald Trump, the United States has split with its European allies by refusing to blame Russia for its invasion of Ukraine in votes on three U.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict, which witnessed its third anniversary on Feb 24, has become what many say is a geopolitical puzzle, with a "dual-track dilemma" at its core. While the US leads negotiations, the European Union and many of its member states, as well as the United Kingdom seem sidelined.