Europe will send a single team to the next round of Ukraine peace talks. It will include diplomats from the 27-nation European Union and from five countries, European Council President Antonio Costa said on Friday. The five are the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Poland, Al Jazeera reported. All belong to the "Coalition of the Willing" that backs Ukraine.
Costa announced the plan in Dublin, Ireland, at the end of an EU leaders' meeting. The summit focused on how Europe can avoid being shut out of talks to end the nearly five-year war. Costa said Europe must speak with "one clear voice and united voice" in all talks on Ukraine's future and the continent's security. He called it a team effort.
European leaders fear that US-backed talks between Ukraine and Russia could sideline them. They also fear Kyiv could be left exposed while Moscow and Washington decide the war's outcome. After meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday, US envoys said Europe would join future talks. But the Kremlin said no decision had been made, according to Al Jazeera. Moscow opposes direct European involvement, arguing that European countries fund and arm Ukraine's military.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged US President Donald Trump to spring "no surprises" during his expected talks with Putin in China next week. Merz said some leaders in Dublin feared a "second Anchorage moment". He was referring to the Alaska summit, where European leaders were stunned by Trump's overtures to Putin. No Ukrainian or European envoys attended.
Leaders had debated whether one person or a team should represent Europe. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni backed a single envoy. She said too many groups were discussing the issue on their own. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas claimed the role herself. She said she represents Europe in foreign and security policy and admitted that "the Russians don't want me". Al Jazeera's correspondent in Dublin said Kallas lacked unanimous support, as many see her as uncompromising on Russia.
Washington and Moscow have both criticised Europe for its divisions. US-brokered talks between Ukraine and Russia took place in the United Arab Emirates this week. Afterwards, US envoy Jared Kushner said naming one European spokesperson would be a bigger achievement than getting Russia to include Europe. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has compared European leaders to "spiders in a jar", Al Jazeera reported.