Europe considers envoy for direct Putin talks

European leaders are considering appointing a single representative to speak with Vladimir Putin about negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, concerned that talks involving President Donald Trump and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff could leave Europe sidelined. Finland’s President Alexander Stubb is among the leading possibilities, given his relationship with Trump and Finland’s experience dealing with Russia; European Council President António Costa is another option, though he has reportedly declined to open direct talks for now. Some officials view Ursula von der Leyen and Kaja Kallas as less suitable intermediaries because of their strong support for Ukraine. European governments say any representative must speak for the member states collectively, with negotiations addressing territory, security guarantees and Ukraine’s future.