The President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, has made it clear that he does not intend to take on the role of mediator in a possible dialogue between the European Union and Russian President Vladimir Putin, arguing that such a mission should be led by the continent's most influential states.
According to Stubb, countries like France, Germany and the United Kingdom have the political and diplomatic weight needed to conduct high-level negotiations with the Kremlin. He emphasized that smaller states, like Finland or Norway, can contribute to supporting the process, but not take its lead.
The Finnish president's statements come at a time when Europe is increasingly discussing the possibility of restoring diplomatic channels with Russia, following the escalation of tensions caused by the war in Ukraine.
However, Stubb underlined that maintaining open communication with the Kremlin remains important, assessing that developments on the front show that Ukraine is currently in a relatively favorable position.
His stance is expected to fuel the debate within the European Union on how European diplomacy towards Russia should be organized and which countries should have the leading role in any future negotiation process.
