Europe should not rush into direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin about ending the war in Ukraine unless it has a strong mandate, a united position and real leverage, former Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský has warned. Lipavský, who served as the Czech Republic’s top diplomat from 2021 to 2024, told TVP World that Russia’s latest use of nuclear-capable Oreshnik missiles was “a demonstration of force,” rather than a militarily decisive move. He said any future European negotiating team would need the backing of the continent’s strongest countries and should avoid “separate talks” that could endanger European unity. “We don’t need empty talks,” he added. The former minister said Europe should keep pressure on Moscow through sanctions, alongside Ukrainian deep strikes and battlefield successes. “Russia has to have a real will to negotiate,” he said. Ukraine’s EU path Lipavský also pushed back against proposals for a special or partial EU membership model for Ukraine, saying the bloc should instead focus on the existing accession process. He acknowledged concerns over agriculture, corruption and rule-of-law issues in Ukraine, but argued that the accession process itself was helping strengthen the country’s institutions. “The closer Ukraine is to the EU, the healthier the level of rule of law in Ukraine is,” he said. Cautious over V4 revival Lipavský also said recent political change in Hungary could reopen space for Central European cooperation, but he remained cautious about reviving the Visegrad Group. “One thing is to meet for courtesy, shake hands and have a coffee. And the other thing is to have a real agenda together,” he said.
