Belgian PM Urges EU to Seek Mandate for Negotiations with Russia

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart De Wever on Saturday called for the European Union to be formally mandated by its member states to negotiate directly with Russia, arguing that the bloc currently lacks the leverage to force Moscow to change course in its war against Ukraine.

In remarks to the Belgian newspaper L’Echo, De Wever said the EU has limited options to pressure Russia after failing to compel the Kremlin to halt its invasion of Ukraine.

“Since we are not capable of threatening (Russian President Vladimir Putin) by sending weapons to Ukraine, and we cannot choke him economically without the support of the United States, there is only one method left: making a deal,” he said.

De Wever argued that forcing Russia into a decisive defeat would require “100 percent support” from the United States, suggesting that such unified backing is currently lacking.

He also voiced concern that Washington’s position may not always align fully with Kyiv’s interests, saying the United States at times appears “closer to Putin” than to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

According to De Wever, Europe risks being excluded from negotiations if it does not secure a clear mandate to engage directly with Moscow.

“Without a mandate to go and negotiate in Moscow, we are not at the negotiating table where the Americans will push Ukraine to accept a deal,” he said. “And I can already say that it will be a bad agreement for us.”

The Belgian leader’s comments come as several European leaders attempt to re-establish diplomatic channels with the Kremlin amid the prolonged war that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Among them, French President Emmanuel Macron has recently explored the possibility of renewed contact with Putin, in part to avoid leaving negotiations solely in the hands of U.S. President Donald Trump.

However, the European Union’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has cautioned that the bloc should first establish a unified strategy toward Moscow before initiating direct talks.

Last month, Kallas said European countries should adopt “maximalist demands” in any negotiations and push the Kremlin to make significant concessions, including reducing its military forces.