New Delhi, May 12 -- European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Monday forcefully rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin's suggestion that former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder could serve as Europe's negotiator in future talks with Moscow, warning that allowing Russia to shape the EU's diplomatic representation would undermine the bloc's credibility and strategic independence.

Speaking after a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Kallas said she could personally represent the European Union in any future dialogue with Russia, insisting that Brussels should not permit Moscow to dictate who sits across the negotiating table.

"I have to say, I think I could see through the traps that Russia is presenting," Kallas to...