The EU should negotiate with Russia on its own — Stubb
Finnish President Alexander Stubb made a striking statement regarding the need for an independent European foreign policy.
In an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, he emphasized that European leaders must be prepared for direct communication with Moscow if Washington’s strategy ceases to serve the continent’s interests.
The Finnish leader stressed that any steps on the diplomatic front must be coordinated.
He assigns a key role in this process to the E5 group—Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Poland—in close coordination with the Baltic and Northern European states that directly border the aggressor.
“The most important thing is that everything must be coordinated among us. Whether it will be a special envoy or a group of leaders—we’ll see,” Stubb noted.
In his view, Europe can no longer remain a passive observer and must take responsibility for the region’s security architecture.
The President of Finland openly stated that the time has come to lay the groundwork for talks with Russia.
“If U.S. policy toward Russia and Ukraine does not align with Europe’s interests, as I believe it does not, then we must act directly. Yes, it is time to start talking to Russia,” the politician explained his position.
Despite calls for dialogue, Alexander Stubb remains pessimistic about a swift end to the war. He doubts that a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia will be signed by 2026.
In his view, there are currently no clear signs that the Kremlin is ready for a fair settlement.
The situation is complicated by a shift in U.S. global priorities. Due to the escalation in the Middle East and Washington’s involvement in the confrontation with Iran, the U.S. administration’s attention to the Ukrainian issue is objectively diminishing.
This creates a vacuum that, according to Stubb, the European Union must fill.
The Finnish president also emphasized the importance of Europe’s military capabilities.
He believes that diplomacy must be backed by real power, so support for the Ukrainian army and the development of its own defense-industrial complex remain top priorities.
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