Latvia and Estonia are calling on the European Union to examine the option of appointing a high-level envoy to reopen structured dialogue with Russia, as international efforts continue to search for a path towards ending the war in Ukraine.

Lithuania’s position is clearly more hardline than that of Latvia and Estonia. Lithuania opposes renewing political dialogue with Russia under current conditions and rejects the idea of engagement unless it is tied to concrete changes in Moscow’s behaviour.

In separate interviews with Euronews, Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina and Estonian President Alar Karis said the EU should play a more visible and coordinated diplomatic role, including preserving communication with the Kremlin rather than relying solely on external initiatives.

Silina suggested that any envoy should be a senior European political figure with sufficient stature to engage credibly with Moscow. She indicated that current or former leaders from Europe’s largest states could be considered, citing figures such as France’s Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s Friedrich Merz, Poland’s Donald Tusk and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Karis stopped short of naming potential candidates but agreed that the role would require someone from a major European country who commands authority and trust on both sides. He stressed that credibility would be essential if the initiative were to have any practical impact.

Euronews reported that the remarks point to a broader reassessment within Europe of how it positions itself diplomatically, particularly after Russia was sidelined from direct negotiations within peace efforts led by the United States.

The idea is consistent with earlier reporting by Politico, which said in mid-January that several EU governments were informally discussing the creation of a special representative role focused on talks with Russia over Ukraine. According to those reports, former Italian prime minister Mario Draghi and Finnish President Alexander Stubb have both been mentioned in internal conversations, although no consensus has emerged.