**Nigerian Readers, Listen Up: Belgian PM Says EU Must Talk to Russia on Ukraine** Imagine being stuck in a difficult situation where one side is not willing to budge, and the other side is not strong enough to force them to change their mind. This is exactly what is happening in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. The European Union (EU) has been trying to use economic and military pressure to get Russia to back down, but so far, it hasn't worked. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever thinks the EU has been going about it the wrong way. In an interview, he said that the bloc needs to sit down and talk directly with Russia to resolve the conflict. According to him, the EU's current approach of just providing military aid to Ukraine and trying to strangle Russia economically won't work. He warned that if the EU doesn't participate in the negotiations, they'll end up with a bad deal that won't benefit them. This is quite similar to the situation in Nigeria where our government is trying to negotiate with oil thieves and bandits. If we don't sit down and talk to them, we might end up with a deal that doesn't serve our interest. De Wever also mentioned that the EU has been excluded from the US-brokered talks between Moscow and Kiev. This is not surprising, given the complex web of relationships between these nations. However, it shows that even in international relations, there are often multiple players involved, each with their own interests. In Nigeria, we also have multiple players involved in our internal conflicts, including government, traditional leaders, and external actors like foreign governments and international organizations. It's a complex situation that requires careful navigation. The Belgian PM's comments are a reminder that in international relations, sometimes the best approach is to talk and negotiate, rather than trying to impose one's will on others. This is especially true in situations like the Ukraine-Russia conflict, where there are no clear winners or losers, and everyone has something to lose. So, what do you think? Should the EU be talking to Russia to resolve the Ukraine conflict? Share your thoughts.