According to Bloomberg, the United States has made a new proposal regarding the restoration of the Russia-NATO Council: a potential diplomatic avenue in the context of the Ukrainian conflict
In the world of high diplomacy and global security risks, a new reason for hope has emerged — the U.S. administration has openly suggested returning to the Russia-NATO Council format, which drastically ceased its activities following the start of Russia's extensive invasion of Ukraine. Based on information from Bloomberg and confirmations from diplomatic sources, Washington proposes to revive this important institutional mechanism as part of efforts to find diplomatic solutions to the war that has already been ongoing for over a year. According to reliably anonymous sources, the U.S. not only introduced the idea of returning to a negotiation format but also added several new proposals that could interest Moscow. In the context of previous attempts to establish dialogue, Washington allegedly offers concrete mechanisms to resume discussions on European security through the NATO-Russia diplomatic channel. Discussions on this possibility are currently ongoing, with most media reports featuring anonymous testimonies about the American side's desire “to find common ground” with the Kremlin during this most difficult period for Euro-Atlantic security. **What is the NATO-Russia Council and its history?** The NATO-Russia Council was established in the post-war period for bilateral partnership on security and stability issues in Europe. However, its activities effectively ceased after Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The last meeting of the council took place on January 12, 2022, in Brussels, where NATO countries rejected Moscow’s security guarantees and Russia’s new proposals for changes in strategic cooperation. Since then, the diplomatic channel of the Russia-NATO Council has essentially been disbanded, leading to increased isolation of Russia in military and political spheres. **Is a dialogue revival possible?** Sources report that NATO currently approaches the prospect of restoring cooperation through this council quite cautiously. Earlier, it was noted that the alliance froze discussions on reevaluating its relationship with Russia due to the prolonged conflict and the complexity of negotiations. At the same time, a key issue on the agenda remains the possible participation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague, scheduled for June 24-25. The U.S. apparently does not support this initiative, fueling further speculation about the level of diplomatic dialogue and internal NATO policies regarding aid to Ukraine and possible pathways to peace in the region. **What to expect next?** Although there have been no official confirmations of a quick restart of the Russia-NATO Council, media reports indicate a possible diplomatic turn in efforts to resolve the conflict. This could be a first step toward a new phase of negotiations, but many uncertainties and obstacles remain on the path to restoring dialogue and returning to the security system in Europe, as it existed before 2022. Initial signs of reconsideration in geopolitical and international relations suggest that today’s diplomacy still holds potential for finding compromises — a goal shared by both Western countries and Russia. However, implementing these plans requires not only diplomatic will but also political stability and mutual trust — fragile in times of war. **Summary** The American proposal to restore the Russia-NATO Council represents a potential shift in diplomatic efforts concerning the Ukraine conflict. The possibility of returning to negotiations opens avenues for reducing tensions and seeking peace, but many barriers and unresolved issues remain. What exactly will happen next will become clearer soon and will influence global developments and the ongoing conflict in Europe.