Europe has agreed on team to take part in peace talks on Ukraine – Costa
The leaders of European Union member states have agreed on how Europe will be represented at any future negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to end the Russian-Ukrainian war. The team will comprise representatives of EU institutions and the E5 countries.
European Council President António Costa announced this, and Politico reported it, according to Censor.NET.
What is known?
The E5 comprises Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy and Poland. EU institutions — the European Commission and the European Council — will also be represented.
"Our principles and positions in these negotiations are well known, and the European team will continue to act in close coordination and full unity. Europe must speak with one clear and united voice in all discussions that shape Ukraine's future and the security of our continent. Ultimately, this is a shared team effort," Costa stressed.
He noted that only Ukraine has the legitimacy to make decisions on matters concerning its territory and sovereignty.
Europe's role in the negotiations
According to the European Council president, EU leaders expressed a clear position on Ukraine: Europe's security begins with Ukraine's security.
"We welcome all diplomatic efforts aimed at bringing Russia to the negotiating table and are making every effort to achieve concrete results," Costa stressed.
He also stated that the EU plays a "central role in discussions about Ukraine's European future, reconstruction and prosperity."
"The issue of security guarantees for Ukraine must be addressed within the Coalition of the Willing, in close coordination with NATO. As I have already said, we will work on this as one European team. And we will continue working together to support Ukraine in achieving a just and lasting peace. Peace can only be just if it is based on the fundamental principles that have underpinned European security for the past 50 years," the European Council president added.
Costa believes the coming weeks will be "a decisive test of whether Russia is ready to end this war."
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Europe to choose its representative for the negotiations by the end of November, preferably on November 19 at the Coalition of the Willing meeting in Berlin.
- Trilateral talks involving representatives of Ukraine, the United States and Russia took place in Abu Dhabi on November 10–11 — the first in this format since February. The Ukrainian side reported some progress, but no concrete agreements on ending the war were reached.
- Ukraine has long insisted on Europe's full participation in peace negotiations. Russia previously opposed this format. In particular, this week Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized the presence of European officials in Abu Dhabi, calling the approach futile.
