The EU is trying to find a person for direct talks with Putin

European Union member states are concerned about their status in the talks on Ukraine and are trying to find a person who could represent the community's interests.

This is reported by the publication Politico.

According to its information, the question of choosing a negotiator became even more pressing after U.S. President's special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg on October 21. European officials understand the importance of direct contact with the Russian president, but the candidate for a possible negotiator has not been determined, the publication notes.

Among the possible contenders for this difficult role is Finnish President Alexander Stubb, the publication believes. In his favor are the long diplomatic relations between the two neighboring countries and his personal acquaintance with U.S. President Donald Trump. Another likely candidate appears to be President of the European Council António Costa. According to the publication's source among European diplomats, Costa is able to represent the EU's interests more effectively than European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. It is important for the European Union that a person capable of representing the interests of all member states, rather than a particular influential group, be present at the talks, Politico explains.

On October 20, a meeting of the Ukrainian delegation with Witkoff took place in Oslo, which was also attended by the American leader's son-in-law Jared Kushner (via video link), Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. Later, Witkoff went to Russia for talks. The meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which took place in St. Petersburg on October 21, was devoted primarily to the topic of a Ukrainian settlement and lasted about three hours.

Source: TASS