Several European governments are pressuring the EU, which has indefinitely frozen Russian assets, to appoint a special negotiator to represent their interests in future talks on Ukraine, fearing that the United States could strike a deal with Russia that leaves Europe out.
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As Politco reports, France and Italy have already secured the support of the European Commission and a number of other capitals. Diplomats believe that only with a seat at the negotiating table will the EU be able to defend its “red lines” — from sanctions to the prospect of Ukraine’s membership in NATO.
The publication notes that this step could be unprecedented, as it is the first time that Europe seeks to officially intervene in bilateral negotiations between US President Donald Trump and the Kremlin. Amid the failure of peace initiatives in Washington, Paris and Rome have stepped up calls to open channels of communication with Putin.
However, there are also critics. They believe that the appointment of an envoy could create the illusion that Moscow is ready for good-faith negotiations, even though the Kremlin still insists on territorial concessions from Kyiv.
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Possible candidates include former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. At the same time, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaia Kallas is positioning herself as Kyiv's only ally capable of leading any diplomatic mission.
European officials acknowledge that the position of special envoy does not yet exist. But discussions in Brussels suggest that the EU is preparing for a new diplomatic game, aimed at trying to force Washington and Moscow to take its voice into account.
It was previously reported that, against the backdrop of Donald Trump's aggressive policy, the EU called for the creation of a joint army with Britain.
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