TIRANA, May 20 – Prime Minister Edi Rama has said the European Union must take a more direct role in diplomacy with Russia. The bloc, he said, made a strategic mistake by relying heavily on the United States for dialogue with Moscow.
Rama made the remarks in an interview with the Estonian outlet Postimees during the Lennart Meri Conference. He said he is not in a position to lecture Estonia on its approach to Russia. However, he stressed that the European Union, as a global power, should not neglect diplomacy.
Europe, he added, risks weakening its international position by leaving key negotiations to Washington.
Turning to internal EU dynamics, Rama said the bloc moves too slowly in decision-making. A larger union, he added, cannot function effectively if every member state holds veto power.
Meanwhile, he reaffirmed his view that Albania could join the European Union by 2030. The war in Ukraine, he said, has accelerated enlargement dynamics across the region.
Albania, he added, depends strongly on the European Union. The country has no alternative alliances or geopolitical options. The Union, he stressed, remains Albania’s only strategic direction.
At the same time, Rama said Europe faces structural and political challenges that affect its speed and effectiveness. These challenges, he added, also influence discussions on EU enlargement toward the Western Balkans.
On broader security issues, Rama said Europe should not fully delegate engagement with Russia to the United States. The European Union, he said, must retain the capacity to conduct its own diplomatic communication while continuing support for Ukraine.
Russia, he added, will remain a long-term geopolitical reality. Europe, he said, must remain able to engage diplomatically when necessary.
Addressing differences among EU member states, Rama said it would be inappropriate to lecture Baltic states or Estonia on their Russia policy. He stressed that his remarks concern the European Union as a whole.
In addition, he said the United States remains an important security partner for NATO allies. Perspectives on US policy, he added, may vary depending on historical and current context.
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