Europe must talk to Putin about Ukraine now, says Finland's Stubb

Finnish President Alexander Stubb believes it is time for Europe to initiate diplomatic discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin to seek an end to the war in Ukraine. He stated on Wednesday that Ukraine's current strong position militarily, politically, and economically presents an opportunity for Europe to "take a step forward" in diplomatic talks.

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We find ourselves in a situation where Ukraine enjoys a position of military, political, and economic strength. Therefore, I believe it is now time for Europe to take a step forward and engage in diplomatic conversations with the leaders of Russia, more specifically with President Putin.

However, Stubb emphasized that before any political dialogue with Russia begins, Europe must first coordinate to establish a common agenda and unified stance. He proposed that key European powers, specifically Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, should spearhead these negotiations, rather than a strictly European Union effort, especially given the UK's non-EU status.

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I believe it is important that the main actors - France, Germany, and the United Kingdom - are at the forefront.

Despite speculation about his potential role as a European mediator due to his diplomatic skills and strong support for Ukraine, Stubb dismissed the possibility of leading such talks personally. "If a country like Finland or Norway can work behind the scenes, facilitate and help in these negotiations, then by all means, but I personally do not see myself as a representative in this matter," he stated. The Finnish leader also noted that while Putin had previously proposed former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as an EU representative, this idea was rejected by Ukraine and major European capitals.

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If a country like Finland or Norway can work behind the scenes, facilitate and help in these negotiations, then by all means, but I personally do not see myself as a representative in this matter.