Limassol: The EU's top diplomat on Thursday ruled out Europe acting as a "neutral mediator" between Ukraine and Russia, after foreign ministers from the bloc's 27 countries debated their terms for possible talks with Moscow.
Discussions on re-engaging with Moscow have become louder amid deadlocked US efforts to halt the war in Ukraine while US President Donald Trump's attention has been consumed by Iran.
Ukraine has pushed for Europe -- sidelined until now by Washington -- to play a bigger role and suggested nominating a representative for talks.
"Europe will never be a neutral mediator between Russia and Ukraine, because we are on Ukraine's side and we are defending our own core security interests," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told journalists in Cyprus.
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"We can't be neutral treating them equally."
Earlier Kallas warned that focusing on who would talk for Europe was a Russian "trap" -- as she pushed for the bloc to concentrate on setting clear red lines.
Speculation over potential envoys has picked up, with Russian President Vladimir Putin suggesting former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, his long-time ally, could fit the bill. The idea has been roundly rejected in Europe.
Some ministers in Cyprus pushed to designate a representative -- including Austria's Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger, who argued that "this is very much what Ukraine expects: that the EU should now get ready."
Finland's foreign minister Elina Valtonen said her country's president Alexander Stubb could be a good option, while Luxembourg's top diplomat Xavier Bettel said he would float the name of ex-EU chief Jean-Claude Juncker.
Kallas said after the meeting that the "broad consensus" among the ministers was to work through the EU's institutions.
'Valid demands'
But she said the focus should be fixed on setting the demands for concessions from Russia in any talks and continuing to ratchet up pressure on Moscow through sanctions.
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The hawkish former prime minister of Estonia has pushed for months to set a series of red lines, seeking to bind countries together and avoid Moscow exploiting any gaps.
Those include insisting Russia must cease fire before any talks, demanding curbs on Russia's military and refusing to recognise the Kremlin's control over seized territories.
"Europe has valid demands to ensure that any peace is lasting, and the ministers asked me to take this work forward," Kallas said.
European officials say Putin appears weakened as Russia's economy sags, casualties climb and a long-range drone campaign by Ukraine takes its toll.
But there is widespread scepticism that he is serious about negotiating in good faith, with the Kremlin unleashing its nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile at Kyiv in recent days and menacing foreign diplomats.
After giving the Kremlin leader the cold shoulder since his invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Europe is extremely wary about the prospect of talking to Putin.
"This is not a time when we are discussing who is going to have the negotiations," said Lithuania's foreign minister Kestutis Budrys.
"We have to discuss what we are doing to put additional pressure on Russia and also give more assistance to Ukraine."
EU countries are currently discussing a fresh package of sanctions on Russia -- which would be the 21st round since the all-out invasion began.
