Eastern Europe demands a unified EU voice in Russia talks

Eastern European EU members are frustrated over being excluded from Western-led talks with Russia about the war in Ukraine, demanding a unified European voice in negotiations. Finland's President Alexander Stubb and Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre drew criticism from EU colleagues after independently calling Russian President Vladimir Putin. Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni urged EU Council President António Costa to add the issue to Friday's Dublin summit agenda, with Costa and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas seen as potential lead negotiators. Poland's Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski warned against Western Europe handling Russia over Eastern Europe's heads, noting no Eastern Europeans participated in recent Abu Dhabi talks involving the US, Russia, and Ukraine. A former Russian spy suggested Meloni could effectively engage Putin due to her charisma and decisiveness.