The European Union is not planning for now to appoint a chief negotiator for possible Ukraine peace talks with Russia, senior EU officials and diplomats said.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and key member states including Germany do not regard such a step as useful at this stage, the officials told dpa on the sidelines of an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Cyprus.
According to the officials, the bloc first wants to focus on strategy rather than personalities, including what issues the EU should discuss with Russia.
The European Commission and the EU's diplomatic service are expected to present member states on Thursday with proposals for a 21st sanctions package against Russia, according to dpa.
