Ukraine: Giorgia Meloni calls for European unity after Putin phone call

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is calling for a binding decision on who will represent Europe in negotiations to end the Ukraine war. "What I continue to demand is that it be decided once and for all who sits at the negotiating table on behalf of the European Union and with what mandate," Meloni wrote in a letter to EU Council President António Costa.

The Italian head of government said that an "inconsistent approach with initiatives that chase each other and overlap" will not help Europe "with our partners or with those we have to convince to stop a senseless aggression."

Meloni calls for a decision next week

Meloni demanded in the letter that this issue should be discussed among the partners at the next informal European Council in Dublin next week. The European Council on December 17th and 18th in Brussels should be able to “formally adopt a corresponding decision after consultation with the United Kingdom, Norway and the other interested European partners.”

If agreement on a common voice cannot be achieved, Europe risks becoming irrelevant in the negotiation process, warned Meloni. She further explained that otherwise the image would continue to be given of a Europe that operates inconsistently. This serves the interests of those who want this war to continue. "And I think that's unacceptable, given that human lives and the future of our security are at stake."

Costa responded promptly. That evening he thanked Meloni for making her concerns so clear and agreed to take action. "I note your request to discuss this matter further at the upcoming informal European Council meeting in Dublin and will allow time for this discussion," he said in response.

In the past, Meloni has repeatedly expressed her criticism of individual initiatives and discussion formats that, in her opinion, contribute to a fragmentation of the European position in the Ukraine war. Recently there was criticism from Rome about the phone call between Finland's President Alexander Stubb and Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin at the end of October, which was not coordinated among Europeans.