Košta's cabinet opens communication channel with the Kremlin

A member of the cabinet of European Council President Antonio Costa has reached out to open a channel of communication with the Kremlin, a European Union (EU) official told the Politiko portal.

The direct address - which represents a departure from the EU's de facto policy of not talking directly to Russia since the start of its invasion of Ukraine in 2022 - comes as European leaders are discussing opening direct negotiations with Moscow to end the war.

The contacts, which the official said took place in recent weeks, were described as brief and unrelated to "substantive issues", but as a reflection of the fact that the EU has "concrete interests that it will have to defend".

"That's why it's important to have established diplomatic channels with Russia," the official said. Politico said he was granted anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomacy. The contacts with Moscow were first reported by Bloomberg.

Although some EU leaders have had direct contacts with Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent months - and three ambassadors from France, Britain and Germany met with the Russian deputy foreign minister in Moscow in early June - there has been no coordinated or official effort supported by the European Union or most EU capitals.

Costa has been "coordinating closely with European leaders on possible engagement with Russia and issues that would be discussed when the right time comes," the official said, adding that the EU "is not a mediator" between Ukraine and Russia.

A spokesman for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz declined to comment. A French official also declined to comment, Politico reports.

Talks about involving Europe in the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine have intensified since Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on EU leaders to take a more active role in peace talks between Kiev and Moscow last month during a meeting in Cyprus.

The Ukrainian leader argued that the EU should step in, given that the US has withdrawn from the effort, diplomats familiar with his remarks during an informal gathering of EU leaders told Politico. His Foreign Minister Andriy Sibikha said the EU should play a role in the negotiations alongside the US.

Calls for direct talks have fueled debate among the bloc's 27 member states over who, if anyone, should represent the EU. Poland and the Baltic states have opposed the effort, arguing that direct talks could weaken pressure on Moscow, while French President Emmanuel Macron has backed the talks.

At the G7 conference in Evian-les-Bains, France, US President Donald Trump said Washington would show renewed interest in Ukraine-Russia negotiations after his administration reached a framework ceasefire agreement with Iran.

At the conference, Macron praised US efforts to end Russia's war, adding that such initiatives have so far failed to produce results. "President Donald Trump, like us, has just acknowledged that there is no serious desire on the part of Russia to bring peace."

"Politiko" reports that the issue of Europe's role in the peace talks will likely be raised during a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels today, but that no decision is expected on who should lead them.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Monday reiterated her call for the EU to appoint an envoy to liaise with Russia on Ukraine, suggesting that the person should not be from one of the major European countries, Reuters reported.

Meloni told reporters at the end of the G7 summit that the multitude of diplomatic groups within Europe could create confusion, which is why it is important to find a single voice to speak for the bloc in relations with Russia.

"It would be very difficult to nominate someone from one of the largest European countries," she told reporters, adding: "In my opinion, nominating one of those candidates would make it more difficult to reach an agreement, so I would turn instead to the medium-sized EU powers."