EU choosing single representative to negotiate with putin - Politico

The European Union is considering two candidates for future direct talks with russian dictator vladimir putin to prevent the United States from dictating the terms of a peace deal in Ukraine. It was reported by Politico.

According to diplomats and officials, the initiative to start negotiations with the kremlin has gained popularity both in Brussels and in European capitals. The goal is to define the EU's red lines for russia and the United States. The discussion has already turned to the question of who will be responsible for negotiations with russia. Italian senator and deputy government minister Giovanbattista Fazzolari said that former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi should take the post of special EU envoy to Ukraine.

"There are some issues which cannot be discussed with [only] the U.S. when they have direct implications on our security as Europeans. The message to Washington is as important as [the message] to Moscow," the official said.

Last year, Finnish President Alexander Stubb put forward the idea of creating a special envoy and offered his candidacy for the role. A senior official said that the creation of this position has already received broad support from the Council and senior EU leaders.

As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, on January 9, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called on Europe to appoint a special envoy to negotiate with the aggressor country russia in order not to limit participation in the negotiation process for peace in Ukraine.

On January 7, French President Emmanuel Macron did not rule out the possibility of restoring direct communication with russian dictator vladimir putin in the near future.

As a reminder, on December 27, 2025, the Élysée Palace announced that telephone talks between French President Emmanuel Macron and russian dictator vladimir putin are not currently planned.

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