Pragmatic or pointless? Split in Europe over whether Putin should call: Attempts by European countries to identify a negotiator with Russia have turned into chaos. "The conversation between Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stora and Vladimir Putin showed a wider gap in Europe than expected. EU countries are increasingly debating who exactly should talk to Russia on behalf of Europe. Leaders have been trying to agree on possible negotiations since the summer, but there is no single candidate. The Kremlin will not hold a dialogue with Kaja Kalas, France traditionally advocates maintaining a communication channel, Great Britain and Germany are cautious, and the Baltic states fear that the contacts with Putin will only ease the pressure on Moscow. "In general, there is an understanding that we need to talk to Putin, but the attempts to establish contact are starting to resemble a free race for all. Too many leaders believe they are the ones who can force Putin to sit down for negotiations," a senior European diplomat described the situation.

Pragmatic or pointless? Split in Europe over whether Putin should call: Attempts by European countries to identify a negotiator with Russia have turned into chaos. "The conversation between Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stora and Vladimir Putin showed a wider gap in Europe than expected. EU countries are increasingly debating who exactly should talk to Russia on behalf of Europe. Leaders have been trying to agree on possible negotiations since the summer, but there is no single candidate. The Kremlin will not hold a dialogue with Kaja Kalas, France traditionally advocates maintaining a communication channel, Great Britain and Germany are cautious, and the Baltic states fear that the contacts with Putin will only ease the pressure on Moscow. "In general, there is an understanding that we need to talk to Putin, but the attempts to establish contact are starting to resemble a free race for all. Too many leaders believe they are the ones who can force Putin to sit down for negotiations," a senior European diplomat described the situation.