Sigrid Melchior: Time is running out for the EU - who will negotiate with Putin?

When António Costa became president of the European Council two years ago, he traveled around the EU's capitals to find out the leaders' priorities and red lines. One of the questions: Should Europe talk directly to Vladimir Putin? If so: Who will represent Europe?

The background is the schism between Europe and the USA. Since Donald Trump became president again, he has withdrawn support for Ukraine and has shown himself ready to compromise with Putin. Ukraine and Europe demand that no settlements be made without them.

Right now, unrest is simmering in Brussels and the capitals of Europe.

Both Trump and Putin say that a future peace agreement must also include "a changed European security strategy". In practice, this means that Russia will be allowed to decide over its neighboring countries, for example whether Ukraine will be allowed to join NATO or the EU. It is completely unthinkable for Europe.

After this week's peace talks in Abu Dhabi, the US now wants Europe to participate in the next round of negotiations to be able to discuss this.

On Friday, the EU's 27 leaders meet at a summit in Dublin, Ireland. There, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni demands that a joint envoy be appointed so that Europe can speak with one voice.

The first question is whether the assignment should go to one person or several.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants a person to represent Europe and that he or she be appointed before the end of the month.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz instead advocates a trio from Europe's most powerful countries: Germany, France, Great Britain, possibly together with Italy. This is disliked by other large countries and by the countries in the East, above all Poland.

There is now speculation in the EU corridors whether Giorgia Meloni herself wants to take the leadership role. In that case, the Italian has a lot going for her: She has political weight and a strong personality, and lacks self-interests that could clash with the interests of Europe or Ukraine. In addition, she has previously proven to be able to stand up to Trump.

In the same spirit, there is talk of Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.

Another question is what role the EU should play.

As a representative of the 27 EU leaders, António Costa would be perfect in a way - then you avoid the tug-of-war between the countries. But in reality, many wonder if the soft-spoken and unknown Portuguese with crisp English has what it takes.

Moreover, Europe's security policy is a matter for the entire continent, including countries such as the UK and Norway that are not part of the EU.

As the talks with Putin now move closer, Brussels diplomats seem to agree on one thing: You cannot send a leader from a country with a border with Russia. On the one hand, the person would not be accepted by Russia as an impartial negotiator, and on the other hand, they are seen from a European perspective as vulnerable, because the border countries are exposed to hybrid threats from Russia more than other countries.

That would rule out Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who is otherwise seen as a skilled diplomat with good personal connections with Trump. The same applies to Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. The two northerners recently took their own initiative for a telephone conversation with Putin, which has also been criticized from several quarters in Europe because it was not anchored.

But it's urgent now. If Europe wants to be at the negotiating table when the continent's future is decided, leaders must soon decide who will sit in that chair.