Almost four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Europe is talking about entering negotiations with Vladimir Putin. But who should lead the talks?
A very special envoy
When European Commission spokeswoman Paula Pinho was asked on Monday about starting talks with Putin about ending the war in Ukraine, she said “we are not there yet”. But she said the commission hoped such engagement would be possible in the future.
“Peace in Ukraine depends on one single person. That person is, as you know very well, President Putin. So obviously, at some point, there will have to be talks also with President Putin. In the meantime, a lot of work is being done,” she said.
“Unfortunately, we’re not seeing any signs [from] President Putin to be engaging in such talks, so we’re not there yet, but, at some point, we would indeed hope that there will be such talks that will finally lead to peace in Ukraine.”
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Pinho’s comments follow calls from French president Emmanuel Macron and Italy’s prime minister Giorgia Meloni for Europe to engage directly with Russia. Support for such a move is gaining ground around Europe as capitals fear that European interests could get lost in the current peace negotiations led by Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff.
“I think Macron is right on this. I believe the time has come for Europe to also speak with Russia,” Meloni told a press conference last Friday.
“Because if Europe decides to take part in this phase of negotiations by talking only to one of the two sides, I fear that in the end the positive contribution it can make will be limited.”
What Meloni did not mention is that Trump’s threats to annex Greenland from Denmark, which he repeated last night, have made the US-led peace talks over Ukraine more perilous for Europe. The danger is that he will attempt to use US security guarantees for Ukraine as leverage over Europe in the dispute over Greenland.
Meloni called for the appointment of a special envoy to lead Europe’s talks with Russia, an idea first suggested almost a year ago by Finland’s president, Alexander Stubb. Stubb, who has the closest relationship with Trump of any EU leader, is one candidate whose name has been floated for the role.
Another is former European Central Bank president Mario Draghi, a figure of almost unrivalled authority within the EU who has long called for fresh thinking about Europe’s place in the world and its international relationships. Meaningful negotiations with Putin would have to include the future economic and political relationship between the EU and Russia, making Draghi’s background and expertise especially useful.
The EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas opposes talks with Russia and the appointment of a special envoy who does not report to her will further diminish her already depleted standing in Brussels. It could also kick off a bout of inter-institutional jostling between the commission and the European Council and raise questions about whether the envoy should represent only the EU or the broader pro-Ukraine “Coalition of the Willing”, which also includes countries such as Turkey, Canada, Australia, Norway and Britain.
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