POLITICO: Meloni joins Macron in urging European talks with Russia

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called on Europe to appoint a special envoy to talk to Russia, as efforts continue to end the Kremlin's war in Ukraine, POLITICO writes.

Meloni said that she agreed with French President Emmanuel Macron, who called for new dialogue with the Kremlin. Russian President Vladimir Putin “expressed readiness to engage in dialogue” with Macron, Moscow said in response.

"I believe the time has come for Europe to also speak with Russia,” Meloni told a press conference in Rome. "If Europe speaks to only one of the two sides on the field, I fear that the contribution it can make will be limited.”

Meloni warned that Europe needs a coordinated approach or “risks doing Putin a favor."

Since the beginning of negotiations over a potential ceasefire in Ukraine, "many voices have been speaking out, and that's why I've always been in favor of appointing a European special envoy on the Ukrainian issue," Meloni said.

Meloni also emphasized that Italy would not join France and the U.K. in sending troops to Ukraine to guarantee a potential peace deal. She suggested that a small contingent of foreign troops would not be a serious deterrent against a much larger Russian force.

Meloni also countered Trump's remarks that he does not need international law, stressing that “international law must be defended.” But she added that it was normal to disagree with allies, "as national interests are not perfectly aligned."

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