Finnish President Alexander Stubb said that Europe needs to take a more active role in peace talks aimed at ending the war between Russia and Ukraine. Stubb emphasized that Europe should not just be a passive party but should initiate diplomatic efforts itself.
Stubb argued that talks should be held with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to him, the European Union should take the first initiative in this process; if no results are achieved, responsibility should pass to the E3 group consisting of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom; and if this formula also fails, other methods should be tried.
Call for Coordination with the US
The Finnish President also said that Europe should conduct the process in close coordination with the United States. However, he noted that it is also necessary to evaluate how much Washington’s policies on Russia and Ukraine align with Europe’s interests.
Stubb’s remarks came at a time when the Kyiv-Moscow peace talks mediated by the US have effectively stalled since February. This assessment, made while Washington’s attention has shifted to the conflict with Iran, has brought the debate about Europe’s role at the negotiating table back to the forefront.
Zelenskiy’s Ongoing European Engagements
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was expected to meet with Emmanuel Macron and other European leaders in London on June 7 to discuss possible negotiation frameworks. Zelenskiy has long advocated for Europe’s involvement at the negotiation table.
On June 4, Zelenskiy published an open letter to Putin proposing the continuation of direct bilateral talks between Ukraine and Russia and raised the idea of a leaders-level meeting. However, on June 5, Putin said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum that meeting with Zelenskiy was pointless.
Moscow’s Message on Europe’s Role and Objections
Although the Kremlin recently signaled that Europe could have a role in diplomacy, it proposed former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as a mediator. Kyiv and European officials rejected this proposal in May, citing Schröder’s long-standing close ties with Putin.
The fundamental disagreement in the talks continues. Ukraine views freezing the current front line as the most realistic basis for a ceasefire, while Moscow demands the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from certain parts of Donbas as a condition for any solution. Kyiv has repeatedly rejected this demand.
