Slovenian President Natasa Pirc Musar reveals EU efforts to revive dialogue with Russia, citing silent diplomacy and urging balanced military spending. She criticizes the bloc’s past decisions and stresses the need for peace talks, while reaffirming Slovenia’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty amid rising social welfare concerns across Europe.
More than three years into the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Slovenian President Natasa Pirc Musar has stated that the European Union is making efforts to restore dialogue with Moscow. In an interview published in Politico’s Brussels Playbook and reported by RT, Musar suggested that the EU is exploring the possibility of renewing direct contact with Russia, citing a recent conversation with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
According to Musar, during her recent visit to Brussels, she proposed the idea of forming a group of “wise men and women” to undertake a form of “silent diplomacy” with Russia as an initial step. While von der Leyen has not officially confirmed this initiative, Musar said the Commission President acknowledged that “they are working on that.”
The Slovenian leader criticized the EU’s decision to sever diplomatic ties with Russia after the outbreak of the conflict, describing it as one of the bloc’s greatest strategic mistakes. She argued that completely cutting off communication has hindered the EU’s ability to play a meaningful role in peace efforts. She also highlighted the exclusion of dissenting member states like Hungary and Slovakia from EU consensus on Russia policy, warning that this division undermines the EU’s credibility on the global stage.
Musar emphasized that even though the Ukraine peace talks have yet to yield significant results, the EU must continue pushing for “dialogue, dialogue, dialogue” as the only path forward. She stressed the importance of the EU being part of future negotiations involving the US, Russia, and Ukraine.
The Slovenian President also voiced concern over rising military expenditures across the EU, warning that such increases are affecting essential social welfare programs. “Every single country needs to be careful not to minimise the social welfare,” she said, noting that citizens fear the trade-off between defense budgets and social protection.
Her comments come as EU countries such as France, Germany, and Belgium have announced cuts to social spending amidst growing national debts. Last week, EU Ambassadors approved a €150 billion ($169 billion) debt programme to support the bloc’s defense initiatives, allowing member states to bypass standard parliamentary procedures. Some nations reportedly plan to use these funds to bolster military aid to Ukraine.
While Musar firmly condemned Russia’s continued attacks on Ukraine—calling them “inexcusable”—she also maintained that peace can only be achieved through engagement, not isolation. Slovenia, she said, remains committed to Ukraine’s sovereignty and will continue supporting its territorial integrity.
