A tense debate in Brussels exposed deep splits over diplomatic roles and leaked contacts. The outcome leaves questions about who will negotiate with Moscow.
At the EU summit in Brussels, leaders of the member states failed to agree on who should represent the Union in potential talks with Russia to end the war in Ukraine. Some participants sharply criticized the President of the European Council António Costa for attempts by his office to establish contacts with Moscow.
The discussion largely touched on the principles of EU representation: some insisted that the EU should speak on behalf of the union through its institutions, while others proposed more flexible formats, including considering EU troikas as a security guarantee, but without infringing EU competences.
Before the start of discussions on Ukraine, information about a leak appeared, which, according to a source, could have influenced the tone of the talks. Contacts, as Costa’s team claims, were needed to create a communication channel in case of future negotiations.
This morning I had a bilateral meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky. And, it seems to me, he also wants the major European countries, as well as the United Kingdom, which is not a member of the EU, to join him in presenting the European voice at the negotiating table. This strengthens his position.
– Bart de Wever
Key differences regarding the future format
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz spoke out against the current format of talks with Putin and stressed that in the future the main role could be played by the France-Germany-United Kingdom troika; Italy and Poland expressed dissatisfaction that they were not included in the initial negotiations between France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Ukraine.
Other leaders backed Costa’s position, noting that it is the EU that should speak on behalf of the Union. It was also reported that some leaders learned about telephone conversations with Moscow only after media publications, which sparked outrage.
If we are talking about the representation of the European Union, only its own institutions can represent the Union. No one else can represent the EU
– António Costa
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever stressed that the Ukrainian president also wants to see European leaders involved in the negotiations to strengthen the EU’s position at the negotiating table.
Other leaders expressed support for Costa; in particular Michal Martin noted that the EU is not a mediator, but if talks begin, it will be Costa who represents the Union. Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico called the channel necessary, while Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis expressed critical views on the course of the discussion and the distribution of roles among the countries. Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten warned that the question of representation is premature for now, but the discussion is constructive; Latvia’s Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs spoke out against creating alternative formats and emphasized the role of existing institutions.
It was also mentioned that talks with Moscow would continue within the framework of a peaceful settlement; the countries are discussing candidates for envoy to negotiations with Moscow. According to Reuters, the EU should continue to keep diplomatic channels with Russia, regardless of how events on the battlefield unfold. In May other sources named possible candidates among European figures; Russia also expressed interest in the candidacy of former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder.
In summary, the summit confirmed the need for further consultations between EU institutions and member states on defining a common approach to the prospects for negotiations with Moscow. The next steps will be coordinated at future meetings to ensure a coherent and coordinated course of European diplomacy.