After Showering Russia with Sanctions, the EU Now Wants Direct Talks: What Will Moscow Demand?

The European Union plans to open a direct diplomatic communication channel with Russia to convey and receive messages without going through intermediaries. However, the bloc has stressed it will not take on the role of mediator in the Ukraine conflict. European Council President Antonio Costa said the EU needs to have its own line of communication with Moscow so as not to rely solely on other parties’ interpretations of Russia’s position. “What I am doing through my office is building a diplomatic channel, because we cannot just rely on others to interpret Russia’s messages. We must be able to convey our own messages directly to Russia,” Costa said during a press conference following the European Council meeting in Brussels on Friday (20/6). Costa affirmed that the rules governing the EU grant him the authority to take the initiative in establishing such diplomatic contacts. According to him, direct communication is necessary so that the EU can understand Russia’s position more accurately while conveying the bloc’s views without distortion. Nevertheless, Costa emphasised that opening a communication channel with Moscow does not mean the EU will act as an intermediary in negotiations related to the war in Ukraine. “The European Union does not want to be a mediator in negotiations concerning Ukraine,” he stated. Costa’s remarks come as various diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict continue, while relations between the EU and Moscow remain at their lowest point due to the war that has lasted more than four years. The move to open a direct line of communication is seen as an effort to keep diplomatic space open amid the tensions still overshadowing relations between the two sides. The plan to open a direct communication channel with Russia has not been unanimously accepted within the EU. According to a Politico report, the issue of negotiations with Moscow has split the leaders of member states into two opposing camps. The differing stances emerged during the EU Summit in Brussels on 18-19 June. The leaders even discussed the issue in a closed meeting without staff or communication devices, highlighting the sensitivity of the matter under discussion.