The EU’s top diplomat has advised Europeans against initiating direct contact with the Kremlin, despite public endorsements from Emmanuel Macron and Giorgia Meloni.
High Representative Kaja Kallas stated on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin should offer concrete concessions before the European Union considers re-establishing direct communication, as more European leaders advocate for dialogue with the Kremlin within the Russia-Ukraine peace process being facilitated by the White House.
«We cannot be the ones asking Russia to ‘talk to us,’» Kallas remarked after a foreign affairs ministers meeting in Brussels.
«The concessions the Americans are requesting from Ukraine are substantial,» she added, referring to reports suggesting Washington seeks Kyiv’s relinquishment of Donbas territories still under Ukrainian control in return for security guarantees.
«I don’t see what additional incentives we could offer Russia beyond what they already receive through their understanding with the Americans, so why should they engage with us? They already obtain what they desire in that relationship.»
Kallas highlighted that, during the recent trilateral talks held in Abu Dhabi among Ukrainian, Russian, and American officials, Moscow was represented by military officer General Igor Kostyukov instead of a political envoy «authorized to make decisions».
Both Kyiv and Moscow described the discussions as constructive, though their interpretations diverge.
Rather than debating who should initiate talks with Putin, Kallas emphasised that European nations must concentrate on further dismantling his war capabilities, which have led to Ukrainian blackouts amid sub-zero temperatures. Brussels plans to endorse a new set of sanctions against Russia around the fourth anniversary of the war on 24 February.
«Our efforts focus on increasing pressure on Russia to shift from merely pretending to negotiate to genuinely doing so, while also addressing our concerns that this war neither continues nor expands into additional territories,» Kallas responded to a Euronews inquiry.
«This is a critical point to grasp.»
To talk or not to talk
The divisive topic of resuming dialogue with Russia remains prominent after public support from French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who stressed the need for the EU to speak with a united front towards Putin.
«I consider that the time has come for Europe to engage in dialogue with Russia,» Meloni stated. «If Europe participates in this negotiation phase by communicating only with one party, I fear the positive impact it could have will be limited.»
The Italian prime minister proposed that the EU appoint a special envoy to represent all 27 member states in these talks, though she did not suggest a specific individual.
The European Commission, a consistent proponent of diplomatic isolation, later acknowledged that direct discussions will happen «at some point,» but not immediately.
Prior to the ministerial meeting chaired by Kallas, Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel informed Euronews that dialogue with the Kremlin should remain an option.
«To achieve a solution, we must engage in talks,» Bettel said during Euronews’ flagship morning show Europe Today. «If I’m not the right person, then President Macron or someone else should represent Europe, as Russia doesn’t want to negotiate with Kaja Kallas,» he added.
Bettel, who met Putin in Moscow in 2015 while serving as Luxembourg’s Prime Minister, admitted he lacks the «ego» to claim he is the «appropriate candidate» for the EU envoy role.
«However, if people believe I could help, I will assume any role,» he explained. «I do not need to be front and center. I can operate behind the scenes as well.»
Nevertheless, the proposal to resume talks with Putin remains unwelcome in some capitals, where there is concern that the EU might fall into a trap and inadvertently legitimise a leader accused of war crimes.