Latvian and Estonian leaders call for appointment of EU special envoy for contacts with the Kremlin
Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa and Estonian President Alar Karis have called for the appointment of a special EU representative to restore diplomatic channels with Russia. The politicians stated this in separate interviews with Euronews.
Alar Karis and Evika Siliņa. Screenshot from Euronews / AP video
According to the leaders of the Baltic countries, such a step is necessary as part of discussions on ending the war in Ukraine. The appointment of a special envoy would allow the European Union to have a voice at the negotiating table, which is currently dominated by Washington, Kyiv, and Moscow.
"One always has to talk, but we need to isolate Russia and continue to apply sanctions against it. We must be at the negotiating table because the Ukrainians themselves started negotiations. So why shouldn't Europeans lead them?" Siliņa stated.
These statements signal a shift in Europe's strategic approach: the EU is concerned that the union has been effectively excluded from direct discussions within the US-led peace process.
At the same time, Siliņa and Karis emphasized that any contacts with Moscow should only take place after consultations with Ukraine, and the candidate for the future negotiator must be a compromising figure acceptable to all EU member states.
Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron put forward a similar initiative. According to him, work on appointing a special envoy has already begun at a "technical level." The idea was also supported by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
In the summer of 2025, when the idea was first proposed, most European leaders considered such a step inexpedient, but now Brussels' position is changing, Euronews notes.
Comments