Phone conversations between Alexander Staub and Jonas Gahrster with Vladimir Putin caused dissatisfaction in some European countries, reports Politico, citing sources. According to one European official, independent negotiations between individual countries and Moscow are undermining Europe's unified diplomatic position. The Italian official also warned that national initiatives and constantly changing negotiation patterns could further weaken the influence of European countries. At the same time, the European Commission responded to the call with restraint. As Politico points out, this shows the sensitivity of the issue within the EU.