Europe should join talks, with clear representative in place — Zelenskyy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (photo: Getty Images)
Europe must be in peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia and should be represented by a strong voice, says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
"I spoke with António Costa. I am very grateful for the support for our state and our people. We discussed in detail the prospects for the negotiation process aimed at achieving peace for Ukraine and all of Europe," the president said.
Zelenskyy stressed that Europe must be part of the negotiations. It is important for Europe to have a strong voice and presence in the process, and it is necessary to determine who exactly will represent Europe.
"Of course, we also discussed Ukraine's European integration. We are ready to open the negotiation clusters — we have discussed the timeline and the necessary communication. I am grateful to everyone who supports us," the head of state added.
Europe in Ukraine-Russia peace talks
Earlier reports indicated that European leaders have been considering resuming talks with Russia.
Amid this, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he considers former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder the best candidate from the EU to participate in any negotiations to end the war.
Notably, Germany rejected the idea. One German official stressed that Schröder's candidacy as a mediator between the EU and Russia is not considered.
In addition, media reports said Berlin is discussing President Frank-Walter Steinmeier as a possible negotiator between Europe and Russia.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has also suggested that she could serve as the European Union's negotiator in future dialogue with Russia. Meanwhile, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico proposed that Europe be represented in talks with Putin by someone who understands the "Russian soul."
