Finland calls for direct Europe-Russia talks

Finnish President Alexander Stubb stated that European governments should start direct talks with Russia, emphasizing that Europe needs a more independent diplomatic role in managing the war in Ukraine.

In an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Stubb said Europe can no longer rely solely on US policy toward Moscow, according to the DPA, News.Az reports, citing KyivPost.

“It’s time to start speaking with Russia. When that will be, I don’t know,” Stubb said on Monday.

He added that current US policies on the conflict are “no longer in line with Europe’s interests,” suggesting that European countries should establish their own channel of communication with Moscow.

The remarks come amid reports that US President Donald Trump is scaling back military commitments in Europe, including potential troop reductions in Italy and the cancellation of plans to deploy long‑range missiles in Germany - a key element of NATO’s regional deterrence strategy.

Discussions have already taken place among European leaders about who should take on that role, though no decision has yet been made, Stubb reported.

According to him, any diplomatic initiative would need broad European alignment, particularly among major EU states such as France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the UK, 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,” he added.

The Finnish president also outlined three possible future scenarios for Ukraine: a prolonged continuation of the war, a ceasefire followed by negotiations, or the collapse of one of the sides - which he suggested would most likely be Russia.

“I believe that the possibility of a peace deal is not on the table, at least not for this year,” Stubb said.

Despite calling for dialogue, Stubb emphasized that Europe will need Ukraine’s support and should begin working with Kyiv on the assumption that it will remain part of Europe both during and after the war, according to Ukrinform.

He also highlighted the scale of military resources in the region, noting that Europe fields around 2 million active troops, compared with roughly 1.3 million in Russia and about 800,000 in Ukraine.

His comments come amid a growing European debate on balancing support for Ukraine with the need for long‑term pressure on Russia.

News.Az 

By Ulviyya Salmanli