European governments are discussing the appointment of a joint representative for possible direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on ending the war in Ukraine, Politico has reported. The publication names Finnish President Alexander Stubb and European Council President António Costa among the candidates. The EU is keen to be represented in the diplomatic process, which is largely coordinated by the US.
Briefly about the main points
- The EU is considering appointing its own representative for possible contacts with the Kremlin.
- Politico names Stubb and Koshta as potential candidates.
- Stubb is credited with his contacts with Trump and Finland’s experience with Russia.
- Diplomats are debating whether Europe should be represented by the EU or by individual leaders.
- The nomination and the negotiating mandate have not yet been agreed in Brussels.
Stubba is being considered because of his links with the US and his experience in Finland
According to Politico, Alexander Stubb is one of the most promising candidates. His close personal ties with the US President Donald Trump can help to reconcile positions Washington and European capitals.
Another argument cited by the publication’s interviewees is Finland’s experience in its relations with Russia. The two countries share a border approximately 1,300 kilometres long, and Finnish diplomats have experience in assessing the security risks associated with Moscow.
On 20 October, Stubbs took part in consultations in Oslo alongside the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gar Støre and US representatives. One of the diplomats told Politico that the Finnish president had already demonstrated his willingness to get involved in high-level initiatives.
Koshta has declined direct contact, but he is being considered
Another possible candidate is the President of the European Council António Costa. At the EU summit in Brussels last week, leaders discussed whether the EU should establish direct contact with Putin, but Koshta has for the time being decided against taking such a step, according to one of Politico’s sources.
Some diplomats consider Kosht to be a more suitable mediator than the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen or the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaj Kallas. According to their estimates, in Kremlin Von der Leyen and Callas may be perceived as more closely associated with support for Ukraine, whilst Costa might appear relatively neutral. These are the assessments of the publication’s sources, not the official position of the European Union.
European capitals have not agreed on the format of representation
President of the Czech Republic Peter Paul stated that the European Union should appoint a representative or a group of leaders who could conduct negotiations on behalf of European countries. In his view, it is not necessary to choose the head of one of the EU institutions for this purpose: the relevant powers could be granted to an individual European leader.
There is no consensus on the model of representation. Some diplomats insist that the European Union itself should be at the negotiating table, rather than just influential states such as France, Germany and the United Kingdom.
European governments fear that any potential agreements between Washington and Moscow may not take sufficient account of the security interests of Ukraine and Europe. This is precisely why there is growing discussion about a separate channel for European representation.
Discussions took place in Oslo on a possible broader format for the talks
Representatives from the EU and NATO also took part in the consultations in Oslo. The European Commission was represented by the Head of Cabinet Ursula von der Leyen, Björn Seibert, а Jared Kushner joined the meeting remotely.
Spokesperson for the European Commission Paula Pinho On 21 October, she confirmed that the parties had discussed territorial issues, security guarantees and Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction. One of the objectives was to explore the possibility of moving to a trilateral or broader format involving Ukraine and Russia.
Brussels emphasised that the EU is already taking part in the preparatory consultations and is able to put forward its own position.
Following Witkoff’s meeting with Putin, contacts are continuing
On 21 October, the US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin in St Petersburg. Following the talks, he stated that diplomatic contacts at a technical level between the US, Ukraine and Russia would continue.
As at 22 October The European Union has not announced the appointment of a special negotiator. Discussions on potential candidates are ongoing, and the format of future negotiations will depend on the agreements reached between Ukraine, the US and its European partners.
