European leaders, including France’s Macron and Italy’s Meloni, advocate for dialogue with Russia, while the UK’s Foreign Secretary expresses skepticism about Putin’s peace intentions.
European Leaders Advocate for Dialogue with Russia
“Either a lasting and solid peace with the required security guarantees will be achieved, or in the coming weeks we will have to find ways for Europeans to re-engage in a full dialogue with Russia, with full transparency,” said French President Emmanuel Macron in December.
Similar appeals were made last week by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who stated, “I believe the time has come for Europe to also talk with Russia. If Europe only talks with one side on the battlefield, I fear its contribution will be limited.”
European politicians are expressing concerns that the United States might reach an agreement with Russia without their involvement, potentially affecting security matters on the continent.
Kaja Kallas Mentioned as Potential Negotiator
Politico reported that “Kaja Kallas, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, has consistently positioned herself as the only candidate for any role in negotiations about Ukraine’s future.”
For now, it remains uncertain whether such talks will occur in the near future. “Our representative for relations with Russia is the head of EU diplomacy Kaja Kallas,” Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski told an RMF FM journalist in Brussels.
UK Foreign Secretary Expressed Skepticism
“I think we need evidence that Putin really wants peace, but so far I still don’t see it,” commented UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Coope in an interview with Politico.
“We have seen enormous engagement in the work carried out by Ukraine, together with the United States and supported by Europe, aimed at developing peace plans, including security guarantees. I think we must be ready, alongside this really important work, to exert increasing pressure, economic pressure, and also, through military support for Ukraine, to exert this military pressure also on Russia,” she noted.