EU leaders tussle over who to send to Ukraine, Russia peace talks

The pressure to designate a European representative comes after US envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed Europeans will be present at the next Ukraine-Russia peace talks. During the European Political Community summit in Dublin, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas responded with a wry laugh when questioned why Europe would only get one seat while the US gets two, revealing the frustration many European leaders feel about being sidelined.

The Dublin summit of 47 European leaders follows a diplomatic tour by two Donald Trump administration advisers, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, who met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow after talks in Abu Dhabi. They then traveled to Dublin to brief Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Leadership Battle

Kallas and EU Council President Antonio Costa are among the figures most likely to represent the EU in peace talks to end Russia's war against Ukraine. However, the bloc has yet to agree on a single central figure, as many national leaders want to be present themselves.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz insisted Europe will be at the table, stating: 'At the table must be sitting Ukraine, must be sitting the Europeans, must be sitting the Americans, and naturally Russia.' But he, like many other leaders, played down the idea of appointing a special envoy.

European Concerns

Zelenskyy emphasized the need for European involvement in peace talks, saying: 'Not directly yet, and not yet when the Russians are at the table. But Europeans are already involved. And we need to make sure that Europe becomes a regular part of these negotiations.' The division over representation has caused public friction, with Meloni writing an excoriating letter to Costa about the lack of unity.