Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has urged European countries to speak with one voice and reopen direct communication channels with Moscow, while continuing to support Ukraine.
Speaking at her annual press conference in Rome on January 9, 2026, Meloni said the European Union should resume high-level dialogue with Russia if it wants to play an effective role in ongoing negotiations. She warned that limiting European engagement to only one side of the conflict reduces the EU’s ability to make a meaningful contribution to a political settlement.
Meloni said she shares the view of French President Emmanuel Macron, who argued in December that re-engaging with Russian President Vladimir Putin could help find a way out of the war in Ukraine. She noted that EU-Russia contacts have been largely frozen since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, allowing the United States to take the lead in negotiations and leaving Europe without a clear, coordinated role.
