The EU is discussing new candidates for the role of negotiator with Russia

The European Union has expanded its list of potential candidates for the position of special envoy for relations with Russia. 

This is reported by Politico.

Among the new figures being considered are:

• European Council President António Costa
• Former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö
• former European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker

Previously, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Central Bank President Kaja Kallas, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi were already mentioned among potential candidates.

At the same time, there is no unified position within the EU regarding the very idea of appointing such an envoy. Some countries that support Ukraine oppose this move, viewing it as a potential concession to Moscow.

In their view, the Russian side is not demonstrating a willingness to genuinely end the war, and the creation of a separate negotiating channel could weaken the pressure of sanctions and give the Kremlin additional room to maneuver.

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski called for caution on this issue.

“We don’t want Ukraine to perceive us as people who are pressuring it to make compromises,” he said at the GLOBSEC conference in Prague.

European Union countries are divided on the issue of appointing a special representative for contacts with Russia. Some member states view such an initiative as a risky concession to the Kremlin, while others see it as a pragmatic tool amid the diminishing role of the U.S. as the primary mediator.