Finland expects the process of bringing Europe into negotiations with Russia to be a lengthy one
Officials in Helsinki believe that defining Europe’s role in potential negotiations regarding Russia’s war against Ukraine will take time. This involves developing a unified approach and agreeing on who exactly will represent the European side in the negotiation process.
According to the European Parliament, this was stated by Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen.
Valtonen was asked whether Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who has himself expressed a willingness to do so, could be considered for the role of Europe’s negotiator with Russia.
“Stubb is, of course, a highly qualified person to speak with many people, including Putin. But at this stage, the main question is not who will represent Europe, but what the process for ending the war will look like, and what Europe’s role in it will be. Furthermore, representing Europe requires a broad mandate. So I anticipate that this will be a lengthy process,” Elina Valtonen replied.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas emphasized that during the discussion on the candidate for the EU negotiator, the EU must not fall into Russia’s trap, as Russia will push for the candidate most convenient for itself.
As a reminder, the President of Bulgaria called on the EU to lead negotiations with Russia regarding the war in Ukraine.
