Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal has warned European leaders against opening a diplomatic channel to Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying Europe should not take on the role of mediator with the Kremlin.

"Europe should not be in a mediator's position," Michal told POLITICO in an interview this week. "You should not take the role of trying to please the dictator."

Michal argued that Europe's sanctions are working, and that mediation would weaken the continent's leverage. "For once, Europe has a plan which is actually working" by suffocating Russia economically with sanctions, he said, adding that a mediator would have to lower standards on enforcing those measures.

"You cannot [have] two roles. One role is backing up Ukraine and pressuring Russia. A second one is trying to have a form of mediation," he said. "Putin should understand that Europe is strong, keeping together and we have one voice."

Debate over a direct line to Moscow

His comments come after Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre held a 90-minute call with Putin in late October, reigniting debate over whether Europe needs its own direct line to the Kremlin.

Michal said Europeans "appreciate" the Trump administration's efforts to broker a peace deal, "but the pressure should be very much on Russia". "The problem [is] sitting in [the] Kremlin. Nowhere else," he said. US officials are due to meet Ukrainian and Russian representatives in Abu Dhabi next week, in the first face-to-face talks since February, US envoy Steve Witkoff said.

Estonia, which borders Russia, has pushed hardest to keep pressure on Moscow. Michal also said Estonia, Poland and Sweden are pushing for stricter visa rules for Russian citizens, including former soldiers who fought in Ukraine. "You should not have these kind of people running around Europe," he said.