Who will speak to Putin on behalf of Europe: media names possible candidate

European diplomats are looking for a representative for possible talks with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. Finnish President Alexander Stubb is among the candidates being discussed.

This is reported by Politico, citing European diplomats and officials.

The question of a European representative has become particularly relevant after talks between US President’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Putin in St. Petersburg. At the same time, the EU has not yet determined who exactly will represent the European side in a possible negotiation process.

Czech President Petr Pavel noted that Putin does not recognize the European Union as an authoritative interlocutor and avoids contacts with a number of European leaders, including Ursula von der Leyen, Kaia Kallas, and Emmanuel Macron.

According to Pavel, Europe needs to elect a single representative or a group of leaders who will receive a common mandate for negotiations. At the same time, they do not necessarily have to hold positions in the EU or NATO leadership.

Diplomats have named Finnish President Alexander Stubb as a possible candidate. As Politico’s sources explain, he maintains close contacts with US President Donald Trump, and Finland has a long history of relations with Russia and shares a border with it.

One European diplomat also noted Stubb’s active role in the current peace talks. However, there is no final decision on his candidacy.

As a reminder, on October 21, Witkoff announced the continuation of trilateral negotiations between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia . According to him, the next consultations will be held at the technical level.

In addition, the European Union spoke about the key topics of the negotiations in Oslo , in which Stubb also participated. The parties discussed territorial issues, security guarantees, and the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine.

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