Finnish President Stubb Calls for Europe to Open Dialogue With Russia

Stubb Says Europe Should Start Talks With Russia

William Moore, Editor

00:40 12-05-2026

Finnish President Alexander Stubb says Europe should begin talks with Russia as the EU weighs who could lead future contact with Moscow.

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Finnish President Alexander Stubb has said in an interview with Corriere della Sera that Europe should move toward dialogue with Russia.

According to Stubb, the time has come to begin talks with Moscow. He noted, however, that European officials are still debating who should represent the EU in such contacts. No final decision has been made on whether Brussels would appoint a special envoy or rely on a group of negotiators.

Stubb also indicated that the EU may have to act on its own if Washington’s approach to Russia and Ukraine fails to align with European interests. In that scenario, he said, Europe would need to establish direct communication with Moscow independently.

On May 10, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia was ready for dialogue with the European Union and would accept any European leader as a negotiator, provided that the person had not made insulting remarks about Moscow.