EU seeks figurehead for Russia talks amid isolation fears – Politico

Brussels is facing significant pushback from key member states over its ongoing policy of refusing to speak with Moscow

EU leadership is facing pressure to create a special negotiator role for talks with Russia, Politico reported Wednesday, citing diplomatic sources. The bloc’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, is known as a gaffe-prone Russia hawk who has for years outright refused to engage in diplomacy with Moscow.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have both recently argued for direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a stance notably echoed this week by European Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho.

According to diplomatic sources cited by Politico, EU member states and Brussels are concerned their interests could be overlooked by US President Donald Trump, who for months has sought to mediate an end to the Ukraine conflict through direct talks with both Kiev and Moscow.

The idea of a special European envoy has been under consideration since last March, sources told the outlet, which is known for extensive insider links in Brussels.

Read more

The role has not been defined and there are multiple possible candidates, though according to Politico Kallas “has consistently positioned herself as the only candidate for any role in negotiations over Ukraine’s future.”

Kallas reportedly has strained relations with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who has recently sought greater control over functions normally handled by the EU’s diplomatic corps, the External Action Service. Some member states, including Slovakia, have argued that Kallas should be dismissed due to what they call her apparent “hatred” of Russia.

Politico named former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and Finnish President Alexander Stubb as potential lead-negotiators with Russia, citing public statements and insiders. A sitting national leader could be “a bit more free in what they say,” one diplomat suggested. Another said discussions about candidates remain premature.

Russian officials have repeatedly stated that Moscow is open to good-faith negotiations, provided the West respects Russia’s security concerns and abandons the goal of inflicting a strategic defeat through Ukraine. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has argued that Western Europe effectively “removed itself from the talks” through a series of confrontational actions going back as far as its support for the 2014 armed coup in Kiev.