Later today, EU foreign ministers will convene for a dinner in Cyprus ahead of Thursday's informal meeting—a biannual, intimate format designed to foster candid exchanges. At the top of the agenda: whether the bloc should abandon the diplomatic isolation imposed on Russia in early 2022 and engage directly in peace negotiations. The idea, publicly endorsed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, continues to split member states, with several fearing the drawbacks outweigh the benefits.
In an interview with Euronews on Tuesday, France’s Minister for EU Affairs, Benjamin Haddad, argued that Europe needs to “be ready” to develop its “own diplomatic track” with Russia, but stressed that “the priority now clearly is to continue to support Ukraine and to increase the pressure on Russia.” Haddad’s cautious remarks mark a retreat from France’s earlier stance. President Emmanuel Macron was among the first to advocate for opening channels with Moscow, sending his diplomatic advisor Emmanuel Bonne for talks with the Kremlin in February—only to be publicly rebuffed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Eastern Flank Urges Caution
Countries on Europe’s eastern flank have consistently adopted a more wary approach. Romania’s Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu, also speaking exclusively to Euronews on Tuesday, insisted that before “talking about any names or envoys,” the EU must ensure it is consistently “increasing the pressure in terms of sanctions” on Russia. Speaking from Lithuania, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna warned that direct talks could transform the EU into a “neutral mediator” expected to offer sanctions relief to Moscow. Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs cautioned that Russia would treat any outreach as a “PR game,” leaving the EU “more or less with nothing.”
“Russia really hates the EU and NATO as a collective force because then we're much stronger. They try to divide us. If we’re able to reach a common position, I think that Russia will lose the interest to negotiate,” Rinkēvičs said.
The debate unfolds against the backdrop of Russia’s open threat to attack European diplomats based in Kyiv—a threat Brussels has strongly rejected. “Kind of hard to talk to people who want to kill you,” a senior EU official told Euronews. Another diplomat dismissed discussions about naming a potential envoy as “simply stupid” at this stage.
Meloni Takes Aim at Brussels
Also making headlines: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s sharp criticism of the European Union. Speaking at a gathering of industry leaders hosted by the powerful Cofindustria business lobby in Rome on Tuesday, Meloni argued that the EU should “do less better,” describing the Union as a bureaucratic giant that sacrifices growth on an “altar of ideological, technocratic approaches.” Her comments come amid rising tensions between Rome and Brussels. The Italian government expressed frustration last week, claiming the European Commission has done little to address the energy crisis triggered by the war in Iran. In a leaked letter, Rome urged Brussels to treat the situation as a real emergency and proposed a carve-out for energy measures in the bloc’s fiscal rules, similar to what has been allowed for defence spending.
So far, the EU executive has dismissed the idea, arguing that extraordinary budget measures can only be applied during a serious economic downturn. Brussels forecasts a slowdown in growth this year, but no recession. Meloni, however, is looking ahead to the 2027 elections and the prospect of securing a second term—and is determined to avoid a campaign dominated by the cost of living and high energy prices. The opposition contends she has done little to cushion the impact for Italian households and industry.
Ukraine’s Deputy PM: No Alternative to Full EU Membership
Brussels must accelerate Ukraine’s EU accession process, and full membership remains the only viable path, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Taras Kachka, told Euronews’ Sasha Vakulina. “There are no alternatives for the fast, merit-based, but full membership in the European Union,” Kachka said in an exclusive interview on Tuesday. His remarks come after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz floated the idea of Ukraine becoming an “associate member” before full membership. Kachka rejected the proposal, calling it “unacceptable if it is an alternative to full membership.” He insisted that Ukraine needs a “fast, comprehensive, normal accession process that will end with the signing of a treaty of accession under Article 49 of the Treaty of the European Union.” For more on this, see Ukraine's Deputy PM Rejects Associate EU Membership, Insists on Full Accession.
NATO Drills Near Russian Border
Meanwhile, a major NATO military exercise is underway near the Finnish-Russian border. Some 9,000 soldiers from Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, Norway, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, Italy, Hungary, and Poland are participating in the Northern Star exercise at the Vuosanka military training ground, about 30 km from the Russian border. The month-long drills focus on modernising NATO’s deterrence capabilities, given the significant role drones play on the battlefield in Ukraine and the persistent threat of Russian aggression through drone incursions or GPS jamming across Baltic and NATO territory. For context on the drone threat, see NATO Drills Near Russian Border as Von der Leyen Flags Drone Threat.
