António Costa Under Fire
During a late-night summit in Brussels, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz openly criticized European Council President António Costa for attempting to establish contact with Vladimir Putin. Other EU leaders rallied behind Costa, creating a clear divide among summit participants. Macron and Merz argue that the time for talks with Putin has not yet come, and if negotiations do occur, they should be led by the 'Euro trio'—France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
The summit discussions ran two hours longer than scheduled and took place without aides or mobile phones. It has emerged that Costa's chief of staff, Pedro Lourtie, made multiple calls to Moscow in recent weeks, though these were described as 'brief' and lacking in substance. Costa’s team stated the goal was to open a communication channel, with Lourtie explaining that the calls were made at the direct request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for Europe to join peace talks.
EU Leaders Split into Two Camps
The summit revealed a clear divide: Macron and Merz stood opposed to other EU leaders who backed Costa’s approach. Merz made it clear to his colleagues that Costa should not act as a mediator in negotiations. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever stressed that:
“The first question is whether Putin wants to negotiate. Until then, no one except Costa can represent the European Union.”
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal also noted that 'the European Union cannot assume the role of mediator in these talks.'
This summit was the first since 2010 without former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The informal 'Euro five'—which includes Italy and Poland—expressed frustration at being excluded from the trio’s initial contacts with Zelensky ahead of the summit. On Wednesday, Merz will host Macron alongside the prime ministers of the UK, Poland, and Italy in Berlin, signaling continued discussions on European policy toward Ukraine and Russia.
The summit highlighted a significant rift among EU leaders over how to approach the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The standoff between those favoring dialogue and those opposing it could test EU unity on critical geopolitical issues. The importance of strategic decisions regarding the war in Ukraine and future relations with Russia will remain central to upcoming negotiations and meetings of European leaders.
The ongoing debate among EU leaders highlights the complexities of international negotiations. As Macron and Merz push back against Costa's outreach, the situation remains fluid. In contrast, upcoming discussions involving key figures such as Macron, Starmer, and Scholz aim to address the pressing situation in Ukraine directly. For more details on this critical diplomatic engagement, see the planned talks with Zelenskyy.