In brief
EU countries disagree over who should represent Europe in negotiations on Ukraine, Politico reported. Leaders are due to discuss the issue in Dublin on November 13, but a formal envoy appointment is considered unlikely.
EU countries have split into at least three camps over who should represent Europe in negotiations on Ukraine, RBC-Ukraine reported, citing Politico. The debate concerns both potential candidates and whether EU institutions or individual countries should represent Europe.
European Council President António Costa is attracting the most support among EU capitals, according to the report. Estonia’s Prime Minister Kristen Michal and the leaders of Poland and Luxembourg have backed him, while Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she had no objection. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas is another option: diplomats disagree over whether her tough stance on Russia would hinder negotiations with the Kremlin or strengthen her candidacy.
Politico’s interlocutors said Paris and Berlin were unlikely to support giving EU institutions exclusive authority to represent Europe. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz backed retaining a format involving Germany, Britain, France, Italy and Poland.
An unnamed senior EU official told Politico that formally appointing an envoy at the November 13 meeting was unlikely, though leaders could move closer to a shared understanding of Europe’s representation. The report did not describe an agreed appointment.
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