One EU diplomat said there was no current rationale for easing sanctions or restrictions on Russia in any sector. The diplomat argued that Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure instead called for greater pressure and restrictions.

The EU and Ukraine discussed Ukraine’s economic recovery and funding needs with U.S. officials on Wednesday. The Wall Street Journal reported last week, citing unnamed people involved in the talks, that the United States had discussed with Russia restoring natural gas flows to Europe through pipelines in Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the situation on the ground made such plans impossible to implement at present. After Wednesday’s Brussels meetings, a second EU diplomat told EUobserver that two briefings on talks with the United States had taken place and that buying Russian gas was not raised.

On Thursday, Ukrainian, EU and U.S. officials were due to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine, a topic Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had anticipated late Wednesday. After speaking with U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Zelenskyy wrote on X that negotiations must move forward quickly to end the war, adding that Ukraine was ready to take necessary steps and had delivered its proposals to the American side.

The United States is due to lead Ukraine-Russia talks on ending the war in Abu Dhabi beginning November 10.