Europe must establish direct contact with Russia — Stubb
Finnish President Alexander Stubb believes that the time has come for European governments to engage directly with Moscow.
According to the German news agency dpa, the Finnish leader stated this in an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Ukrinform reports.
"It's time to start speaking with Russia. When that will be, I don't know," Stubb said.
He added that, in his opinion, U.S. policy toward Russia and Ukraine no longer aligns with Europe's interests, meaning that Europe should engage directly.
"We have spoken with European leaders about who should establish contact," he said, adding that no decision has yet been made on the matter.
It is noted that the most important aspect would be coordination among European countries, especially between France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom, as well as the Nordic and Baltic countries bordering Russia.
"Whether this will be a special envoy or a group of leaders, we will see," Stubb added.
He also outlined three possible scenarios for Ukraine: continuation of the war, a ceasefire followed by a peace agreement, or the collapse of one of the sides, most likely Russia.
"I believe that the possibility of a peace deal is not on the table, at least not for this year," the Finnish president emphasized.
As Ukrinform previously reported, Stubb believes that Europe will need Ukraine's assistance. The Finnish president added that Europe should begin working with Ukraine on the assumption that the country will be European not only during this war, but also afterward. He cited figures showing that Europe has approximately 2 million soldiers, excluding reservists; Russia has around 1.3 million, while Ukraine alone has about 800,000 troops.
Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine