EU governments are discussing whether former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi or former German Chancellor Angela Merkel could represent the bloc in potential negotiations with Vladimir Putin, amid intensifying efforts to reopen official communication channels with Russia.
Foreign Ministers will debate this issue at a EU meeting in Cyprus next week, writes Financial Times.
The Trump administration, currently preoccupied with its own conflict in the Middle East, has informed European partners that it does not oppose Europe discussing with Putin in parallel with the peace negotiations led by the US, three sources cited by the publication said.
"I know it's not working," one of them said, referring to current efforts to end the conflict.
Brussels has suspended official communication channels with Moscow after Putin's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, except for sporadic attempts at contact by some European leaders.
However, the EU now fears that the lack of progress in the US-led negotiations - mainly due to the firm territorial demands of the Russian leader, rejected by Kiev - has left Europe on the sidelines and vulnerable to an unfavorable agreement.
This has sparked an increasingly intense debate about appointing a joint envoy, despite deep divisions among states regarding the feasibility and scope of such a mission, as well as skepticism about Putin's willingness to respond to this initiative.
In addition to Draghi and Merkel, other governments have proposed the names of the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, and his predecessor, Sauli Niinistö, as possible candidates, according to sources.
European Council President António Costa, representing the leaders of the 27 EU member states, stated earlier this month that the bloc is preparing for possible discussions with Putin.
