European nations are debating who may be their representative in Russia-Ukraine peace talks while the continent’s leaders spar with Russia over their participation in future negotiations.
Whether Europe should be represented by one person or a team – and who should take on the role – was debated on Friday as leaders of the 27-nation European Union (EU) met at a summit in Dublin, Ireland. Senior EU officials and politicians have been suggested, but there is no consensus yet.
What the job might entail is also unclear and contested. However, EU leaders have broadly agreed on the need for Europe to join the ongoing trilateral negotiations between Washington, Kyiv and Moscow.
The EU is concerned that a United States-backed process will allow Moscow and Washington to decide the fate of a war that has embroiled the continent.
After talks in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, US envoys said that Europe would join future negotiations – but the Kremlin appeared to slam the brakes on that plan, saying no decision had been made.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday pleaded for US President Donald Trump to create no surprises during expected talks with Putin in China next week.
“Some here in Dublin fear this could turn into a ‘second Anchorage moment’,” said Merz on the sidelines of the EU meeting, a reference to the Alaska summit where they were stunned by Trump’s overtures to the Russian leader in the absence of Ukrainian or European envoys.
“I therefore want to state our message to the United States very clearly: please, no surprises. Continue to play as part of ‘Team Europe’ and ‘Team Ukraine’.”
Kyiv is eager for support from European allies, but Russia does not want European countries involved in direct negotiations, arguing they are financing and supplying Ukraine’s military effort.
European leaders have discussed whether Europe should be represented by one person or a team. Supporters of a single envoy, like Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, argue that the absence of a united European voice has allowed individual countries or small groups to engage in freelance diplomacy.
“There are too many different groupings discussing the issue,” she said.
The EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas, a former prime minister of Estonia, laid claim to the envoy role on Friday, saying, “I’m the one who is representing Europe in the foreign and security policy.”
“I know that the Russians don’t want me, but, you know, do we have a say, ‘Who is representing Russia?’” she said. “We can’t send any person that has no institutional role like the Americans are sending.”
Al Jazeera’s Milena Veselinovic, reporting from the summit in Dublin, said: “Kaja Kallas is putting herself forward for that role and for many she would be the natural choice – she is the voice for the EU on foreign policy.”
However, “there isn’t unanimous support behind her”, as Kallas is seen by many as “uncompromising” on Russia, she added. Kallas is far from the only player in this game; European Council President Antonio Costa is also a top contender for the role.
US and Russian diplomats have criticised Europe for not being united. After the US-brokered talks between Ukraine and Russia in the United Arab Emirates this week, US envoy Jared Kushner said that “if Europe could identify one person to speak on their behalf, that would be a bigger achievement than getting the Russians to include them in the negotiation.”
Al Jazeera’s Yulia Shapovalova, reporting from Moscow, said the Kremlin has not confirmed that Putin agreed to expand the trilateral talks to include Europe. Even though Russian officials say they are ready to talk with European leaders, they have also criticised Europe, our correspondent said, noting that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has even compared European leaders to “spiders in a jar”.
