In early May, Russian President Vladimir Putin himself launched former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as a suitable interlocutor for an end to the war with Ukraine.
This sparked intense discussions and speculation within the EU about whether it is really time to hold some kind of negotiation with Russia - and if so, who should talk.
Schröder was ruled out fairly immediately, given his many years of close ties to Russia and Putin, including as chairman of the Nord Stream pipeline and the oil giant Rosneft.
Instead, there is speculation about a wide range of other possible candidates - everything from Schröder's successor Angela Merkel and Italy's former Prime Minister Mario Draghi to Finland's President Alexander Stubb and former President Sauli Niinistö.
Kallas warns
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas – who has readily hinted that she could consider the assignment – is simultaneously issuing a warning.
"It is a trap that Russia wants us to fall into, that we discuss who will talk and let them choose who is acceptable," says Kallas on her way to Thursday's informal EU foreign ministers' meeting in Limassol, Cyprus.
Sweden's Maria Malmer Stenergard (M) agrees.
"We should not rush to the negotiating table and let Russia set the conditions. Instead, we should increase pressure on Russia and increase support for Ukraine so that the calculations change and they (Russia) come to the negotiating table because they really want peace," says the Foreign Minister on her way to the Cyprus meeting.
“Not a mediator”
Earlier this year, Kallas had already produced a substantial list of European demands for negotiations, with tough demands for everything from limits on the Russian military to the removal of troops from Georgia and Moldova.
Of course, these are maximum requirements, but that is also Russia's attitude, she explains.
Both Kallas and Malmer Stenergard emphasize that the EU has its own interests to defend in a discussion.
"The EU should not be a mediator. We should stand on Ukraine's side," says the Foreign Minister.
Here are some of the names that have been put forward – mainly in various media speculations – as possible negotiators with Russia regarding the war in Ukraine:
* Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel
* Former Italian Prime Minister and former ECB President Mario Draghi
* Former President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker
* EU Council President António Costa
* EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas
* President of Finland Alexander Stubb
* Former President of Finland Sauli Niinistö
* Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide
* India's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar
Sources: Politico Europe, Euractiv.
