Macron, Merz clash with EU over Putin talks

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have voiced criticism regarding the European Union's attempts to establish communication channels with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This stance has created a division among EU leaders concerning the bloc's strategy towards Russia. The controversy emerged following a proposal by Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs to appoint a dedicated peace envoy for Russia with the aim of ending the ongoing Ukraine war. While some EU leaders expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of such an initiative, citing Russia's perceived unwillingness to negotiate, others supported the idea of maintaining open communication lines with Moscow. European Council President António Costa has defended his decision to initiate a diplomatic channel with Russia. Costa acknowledged that several member states were not consulted prior to this outreach, which has further fueled the internal EU debate and highlighted a rift among bloc leaders over the appropriate approach to engaging with Russia amidst the conflict in Ukraine.