Leaders of Latvia and Estonia Call for Preparation for Direct Talks with Russia
Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa and Estonian President Alar Karis call for the appointment of a special European envoy to restore diplomatic contacts with Moscow. In their opinion, the European Union should be able to negotiate with Russia in the context of a peaceful settlement of the war in Ukraine and have its voice alongside Washington and Kyiv, writes Euronews.
Evika Siliņa and Alar Karis. Photo: Associated Press
Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron noted that work on appointing a special envoy had already begun at a "technical level", and this idea was supported by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The idea emerged last summer, but at that time most European leaders considered it inappropriate.
Evika Siliņa emphasized that negotiations with Russia should only take place after consultations with Ukraine and that the chosen envoy must be a consensus figure. She named the leaders of France, Germany, Poland, and Great Britain as possible representatives from Europe, but noted that the final choice still needs to be made.
Estonian President Karis did not name specific individuals, but noted that the envoy should be a representative of a major European state and have authority with both sides. He also emphasized that the EU must actively participate in discussions and have a voice, as European countries have been supporting Ukraine for several years.
At the same time, Estonian governmental structures warned that relations with Russia cannot be restored until Moscow changes its actions and aggressive goals. Germany also opposes direct negotiations, citing Putin's "maximalist demands" and ongoing shelling of Ukrainian cities.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Russia and France interact at a working level, but there are no special results yet, nor are there contacts at the highest level.
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Меркель тоже можно дернуть .
Відаць баяцца, што іх ніхто не пакліча.