Kaja Kallas and Antonio Costa should represent the European Union in peace negotiations over Ukraine. Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal has backed the EU foreign policy chief and the president of the European Council for these roles, arguing that European countries have already agreed on their representatives.

Speaking to Politico, Michal stressed that both officials are accountable to EU member states and enjoy the confidence of their leaders. He believes this makes them the appropriate figures to negotiate on behalf of the bloc.

The Estonian prime minister also dismissed Moscow’s objections to Kallas taking part in the diplomatic process. He insisted that Russia’s opposition should carry no weight in Europe’s decision, as EU countries have the right to choose their own negotiators without taking Moscow’s position into account.

Kallas herself took a similar stance on November 10, urging European governments to disregard Russia’s security concerns.

Moscow, meanwhile, has set its own conditions for European participation in the peace process. Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to the Russian president and head of the Russian delegation at the Abu Dhabi negotiations, said European countries would be able to join talks on resolving the Ukraine conflict only when they finally developed a conscience.