U.S. special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Nov. 12 to discuss ending the war, while European leaders gathered in Dublin still struggling to agree on who should represent them in the peace talks. President Volodymyr Zelensky insisted that Europe must have a direct role in negotiations over the future of Ukraine and the continent’s security architecture, noting that previous U.S.-brokered discussions in Abu Dhabi ended without a breakthrough on a broader ceasefire or peace agreement. He argued that the talks concern more than security guarantees for Ukraine, describing them as "some kind of new security framework between Europe and Russia." Witkoff confirmed after the Moscow meeting that the next round of talks will involve European officials, stating they are partners and it is important for them to be involved.
Institutional mandate versus national power
The European Union has so far failed to agree on a single representative, exposing divisions between those who favor EU institutions and those who want major European powers to lead the diplomatic effort. Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal told Politico that European Council President Antonio Costa and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas should represent the bloc at the negotiating table because both are clearly accountable to EU countries. Kallas backed the proposal, arguing that the EU’s institutional framework already provides a mandate for its leaders to represent the bloc in foreign and security affairs, and she urged sticking to the agreements made in 2024. She noted that the treaties are very concrete regarding who represents Europe in security matters, making the current debate unnecessary if existing rules are respected. This stance directly conflicts with the preferences of France and Germany, which have previously favored a prominent role for national governments rather than supranational institutions in European diplomacy.
Major powers reject the unified ticket
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stopped short of endorsing the Costa-Kallas ticket, suggesting instead that major European powers should play a leading role in the negotiations. Macron argued that Europe must first agree on its position toward Russia before deciding who should represent it, stating that Europeans must take back the initiative in discussions with Russia before the format is determined. Merz pointed to existing formats for cooperation among Europe’s major powers, specifically the E3 comprising Germany, France, and the U.K., and mentioned working partly with five representatives including Italy and Poland. He claimed this proven format allows them to tackle the task together effectively. However, Moscow has shown little interest in involving Europeans directly, as Russia’s chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky reported his delegation had no contact with European officials during the talks. Merz suggested Putin was ready to have talks despite the diplomatic deadlock, though neither Washington nor Moscow appears particularly interested in creating a formal seat for a European representative at the table.
