The EU Prepares for Possible Negotiations with Russia on Ukraine 0 13

Let’s imagine that Russian President Vladimir Putin, after years of war, stops the attacks on Ukraine. And let’s imagine that after this, Ukraine and Russia sit down at the negotiating table to discuss the terms for ending the war. Who will then represent the European Union in these negotiations, and what exactly is the EU planning to offer?

These questions are currently being discussed by the foreign ministers of EU countries in Cyprus, reports NOS.

"Before entering into talks with Russia, we must first determine what we want to discuss with them," said the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell. According to her, the European Union still has many questions to answer about what it wants to achieve from Russia for a peaceful and stable Europe.

Recently, the Kremlin stated that Putin is open to negotiations with Europe. However, the question remains how much trust can be placed in these words. Ukraine continues to be subjected to massive attacks: over the past weekend, Russia launched hundreds of drones at Kyiv and used the hypersonic missile "Kinzhal." Several countries summoned the Russian ambassador for explanations due to the escalation, reports NOS.

In Estonia, it is believed that negotiations could currently play into Moscow's hands. The Estonian Foreign Minister, Urmas Reinsalu, believes that Putin is trying to buy time by drawing Europe into the negotiation process.

"He does not want to negotiate, but only puts forward new demands," the minister believes.

Nevertheless, the EU wants to be prepared for possible negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and the European Union. Just recently, the very idea of negotiations with Putin was considered practically taboo in Brussels. But now European countries acknowledge that diplomacy is likely the only long-term way out of the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also repeatedly stated that he would like to see Europe as a participant in possible negotiations.

Now the European Union needs to define its own position. Among the issues being discussed are possible territorial concessions from Ukraine, the timeline for the country's accession to the EU, the prospects for establishing a tribunal for war crimes, and demands for reparations from Russia.

Equally important is the question of who will represent the EU at the negotiating table. Possible candidates include former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, as well as current European leaders.

At the same time, the candidacy of former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, previously mentioned by Putin, is virtually excluded due to his close ties with Russia. The participation of Kaja Kallas is also considered unlikely, as many countries view her as too tough on Moscow.

The issue of Ukraine's EU membership is being discussed separately. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz proposed a partial membership option for Ukraine, whereby Ukrainian representatives could participate in the work of European structures without full voting rights. However, Volodymyr Zelensky opposed such an option, emphasizing that Ukraine is counting only on full membership.

Recently, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen held a phone conversation with Zelensky and stated that the coming weeks will be crucial for advancing Ukraine's path to EU membership.