The European Union is increasingly accepting the idea of speaking directly with Russia to bring the full-scale invasion of Ukraine to an end.
The internal reassessment intensified after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, frustrated by the White House's all-consuming focus on the Middle East, publicly urged Europeans to appoint a designated envoy for the peace negotiations.
"It is important for it to have a strong voice and presence in this process, and it is worth determining who will represent Europe specifically," Zelenskyy said on Sunday after speaking with António Costa, the president of the European Council.
But whoever gets the job might come to regret having ever applied.
Breaking the diplomatic isolation imposed in February 2022 comes with formidable risks for Europeans, who, on the one hand, want to have their own seat at the table to shape the future of the continent's security architecture but, on the other, are deeply wary of falling into the Kremlin's trap and making a fool of themselves.
