European Council chief named as possible mediator in Ukraine talks

Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has suggested that a representative of the European Union's institutions or a sitting European leader could act as a mediator in future negotiations aimed at resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Speaking at a forum organized by the Italian newspaper La Verità, Tajani said the European Union should identify a figure capable of representing the bloc in dialogue with Moscow and speaking on behalf of all European countries.

“We need to find a representative who could speak with Moscow on behalf of everyone in Europe. It could be the leader of a medium-sized country, or it could be the representative of a European institution, such as President Costa, but no decision has yet been made,” he said.

Among the possible candidates, Tajani pointed to António Costa, the President of the European Council, as a potential representative who could assume such a role if a consensus emerges within the European Union.

At the same time, the Italian foreign minister ruled out former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as a possible EU envoy or mediator in any future peace efforts.

By Vafa Guliyeva