The EU is searching for a suitable envoy to open talks with Russia over the war in Ukraine, a task complicated by President Vladimir Putin’s history of difficult diplomacy. Former German chancellor Gerhard Schröder, a longtime Putin ally nominated by Moscow to lead negotiations, has been criticized by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. She argued that if Schröder were chosen as mediator, Putin would effectively control both sides of the discussion. Kallas, Estonia’s former prime minister, offered herself as an alternative, citing her ability to spot Russian traps. Other possible mediators include former German chancellor Angela Merkel, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and European Council President António Costa. The U.S. has excluded European leaders from talks, but Europe seeks its own role due to direct security implications for NATO members.