EU finalizes European negotiators, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Poland will participate in Russia-Ukraine peace talks

(Central News Agency, Dublin, 13th, Comprehensive Foreign News Report) European Council President Antonio Costa said today that EU leaders have agreed to form a delegation from the five military powers of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Poland and EU institutions to participate in the Ukraine peace negotiations. After months of discussions, Europe has finally finalized which countries will represent Europe in negotiations.

Reuters reported that Costa said after the Dublin summit that "Europe must have a clear and unified voice in all discussions about the future of Ukraine and the security of the European continent."

Russia's Kremlin said today that Russia is willing to let Europe participate in negotiations if European countries are indeed interested in promoting peace. Russian officials also advocate that a broad agreement on the European security architecture should be reached first before discussing the details of the Russia-Ukraine war.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz described the Kremlin's statement as "the same old story" and said Europe and the United States had reached a consensus. He emphasized, "Without Ukraine's participation, the Ukrainian issue cannot be discussed; without Europe's participation, European issues cannot be discussed. In addition, the European security architecture already exists, and there is no need to re-discuss it."

U.S. negotiator Jared Kushner said in Moscow on the 12th that he had begun discussions with European partners on the European security architecture.

Representatives from Britain, France, Germany, Italy and the European Union attended Russia-Ukraine negotiations in Abu Dhabi this week. Both Russia and Ukraine said that the talks had made some progress, but there had been no breakthrough on key issues such as territory.

EU officials said that the future European delegation may be composed of the national security advisers of the above-mentioned five countries, as well as representatives of the European Commission and the European Council. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is also expected to send personnel to participate.

Before Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, it asked NATO to withdraw its troops stationed in countries that joined the alliance after 1997, but NATO refused.

Kaja Kallas, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, said that Russia's request to discuss the European security architecture may divert attention from the ceasefire. Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs called such discussions a "trap."

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that the key point is that Europe should avoid making unnecessary concessions to Russia. "The European security architecture cannot be modified, because this is exactly what (Russian President) Vladimir Putin wants."

A European diplomat and another European official revealed that the leaders of Poland, the Baltic countries and the Nordic countries warned at a meeting on the 12th that the European security architecture should not be discussed with the United States or Russia.