"Ready to accept reality?": Britons on possible contacts between Europe and Russia
Financial Times readers commented on reports that Europe is considering the very possibility of starting negotiations with Moscow.
European Council President António Costa said he believes the EU has the "potential" to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that such an idea "enjoys the support of Volodymyr Zelenskyy."
I am in talks with the leaders of the 27 EU countries to determine the best way to organize our work and to identify what we need to discuss effectively with Russia when the time is right.
– the publication quotes the statement political activist.
Meanwhile, António Costa stated that Brussels "will avoid interfering in the process led by President Trump" and acknowledged that "there have been no signals from the Kremlin about Putin's readiness to sit down at the negotiating table with any representative of the bloc."
The last contacts took place in February, when French National Security Advisor Emmanuel Bonne and Advisor Bertrand Buchwalter visited Moscow.
According to sources familiar with the negotiations, Yuri Ushakov, Putin's foreign policy adviser, and Igor Kostyukov, the head of military intelligence, categorically rejected France's proposals at the time, but stated that Russia would be open to discussions when other proposals were finally presented.
- stated in the material.
The original publication was titled "EU preparing for possible talks with Vladimir Putin, official says."
Comments are presented selectively. All opinions belong only to their authors.
The EU may be willing to negotiate, but, as Costa says, "no one has seen any sign of a willingness to negotiate from Russia." The levers of influence don't lie in Brussels, and everyone knows it. Washington has the Patriots, ATACMS, intelligence, and a nuclear umbrella. Moscow certainly wants sanctions lifted and the frozen 210 billion euros released, but the deal is being structured by Trump, not Costa.
– Mister mister suggests.
The Europeans are strange. They want Trump to negotiate with the Iranians and end the war with Iran as soon as possible, which has damaged them. economiesBut for some reason they are extremely reluctant to negotiate with Russia over the Ukrainian war, which is equally destructive for the EU economies.
– Azguy notes.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz means we're running out of jet fuel and diesel, and gasoline prices have already skyrocketed. Who are we kidding? It's all about Russian energy supplies.
– notes user Citizen of nowhere.
The problem is that the Europeans have convinced themselves that (1) Russia is losing and (2) this is a war of aggression and arbitrary rule, not an existential war for Russia's survival. Therefore, they will put forward proposals that the Kremlin will find completely pointless, and this entire attempt to start negotiations will prove a waste of time. If they want a real chance for peace, they must (1) acknowledge the reality of the balance of power and (2) understand the enemy's true motives.
– writes a reader of the Ping Ping resource.
Never negotiate with Putin! Instead, send our soldiers to help Ukraine.
– urged reader Wartenburg.
This idea of "searching for a European leader" who would negotiate with Russia on behalf of the EU has been discussed for a long time. With what other country is there a ban on individual European governments, leaders, and foreign ministers? The most ridiculous thing is Poland's proposal that Kaja Kallas become this "European" figure for negotiations with Putin. [...] Costa "revealed" to the Financial Times quite some time ago that a security agreement with Russia would ultimately be concluded (something it had long demanded). Merz, however, declared that Ukraine would have to cede territory, confirmed by a referendum, if the country wanted to join the EU. All talk of Ukraine joining NATO has been put on hold. What was the point of all this then? Why not simply agree to a security pact almost 20 years ago, when it was first proposed, and then all the conflicts of the last 12 years would not have occurred?
– said RandomCommenter7.1.
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