Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna stated that direct negotiations between the European Union and Russia regarding the war in Ukraine could turn the EU into a "neutral mediator" and weaken the pressure on Moscow. This was reported by Euronews, according to UNN.
Estonia urged not to rush into negotiations
According to Tsahkna, Russia is interested in drawing Europe into a negotiation process to buy time and achieve a weakening of sanctions.
"We know that Russia is working desperately to drag Europe into negotiations because Putin needs to buy time. His position is to put Europe in a neutral position as a mediator,"
He emphasized that the European Union cannot take a neutral position in the war.
"We are not mediators. We support Ukraine. And this is not just about Ukraine's territories, but about the entire European security architecture,"
The Estonian minister believes that instead of negotiations, the EU should increase pressure on the Kremlin.
"Instead of going to talk to Putin, who does not want to discuss anything and only puts forward new demands, we should focus on increasing pressure on Russia. This is not the moment to rush into any negotiations,"
Disputes continue within the EU regarding contacts with Moscow
As Euronews notes, there is no unified position among EU countries regarding the possibility of direct contacts with Russia.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously called on the European Union to speak with "one voice" and appoint a representative who could communicate with Moscow on behalf of the bloc.
The idea of direct negotiations is supported by France, Italy, Austria, and Belgium.
In contrast, Germany, Poland, the Baltic states, and Northern European countries are skeptical and advocate for further sanctions and economic pressure on Russia.
Among the possible candidates for the role of EU special representative in negotiations were Finnish President Alexander Stubb, European Council President António Costa, former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, and former German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
However, Tsahkna believes that discussions about a specific representative could only deepen disputes within the EU.
"At the moment, there is no point in talking about who will represent Europe, because that would likely divide Europe even further,"
Romania also advocated for strengthening sanctions
A similar position was expressed by Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu.
"What we need to do now is consistently increase pressure through sanctions and coordinate them with the United States whenever possible,"
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