EU leaders meeting in Dublin on Friday, November 13, said Europe’s security arrangements should not be negotiated as part of a Ukraine peace deal but did not name one representative for Europe.
A later account said leaders had agreed on a group to take part in future talks. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Europe already has a system for its security. He said discussions about Ukraine and Europe must include the people affected.
Russian officials have called for a broader agreement on Europe’s security before agreeing on the details of the war. Moscow said it would consider European participation in peace talks if Europeans showed they were ready to contribute. EU foreign-policy chief Kaja Kallas warned that discussion of Europe’s security could distract from the immediate need for a ceasefire.
Forty European countries had signed a declaration in Dublin saying that decisions affecting European security should involve Europeans. EU leaders did not settle on one person to speak for them. Merz pointed to current EU roles and cooperation among France, Germany and Britain.
Later, a senior EU official told France 24 that Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and EU institutions would represent Europe at the next talks. These developments reflect Europe’s effort to have a voice in negotiations. Europe also insists that Russia and the United States should not decide its wider security arrangements without Europeans.