The question of whether the European Union should engage in direct talks with Russia to bring the war in Ukraine to an end continues to split member states, as Estonia warns that the diplomatic outreach would amount to becoming a "neutral mediator" expected to provide Moscow with sanctions relief and appease its maximalist demands.
Until now, the talks have been led by the US, which has cut all financial and military assistance to Ukraine and eased sanctions on Russian oil.
"We know that Russia is desperately working to bring Europe into talks because Putin needs to win time, and his position is to put Europe in a neutral position as a mediator," Margus Tsahkna, Estonia's foreign minister, said on Tuesday morning in Brussels.
"But we are not mediators, actually. We are supporting Ukraine, and we are talking not only about some territories in Ukraine, but we are also talking about the European security architecture."
"Instead of (doing) that – to go and talk to Putin because he doesn't want to negotiate anything, he's just putting new demands on the table – we should focus on putting more pressure on Russia. So this is not the right time to rush into any kind of talks."
