The first day of the EU summit was meant to be about China and a celebration of Ukraine’s membership bid.
But a dinner where leaders were expected to prepare a long-awaited strategy to deal with China’s growing dominance in the global economy dragged on until 11pm bickering over Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The EU-27 welcomed Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, by celebrating the official opening of EU membership talks.
The mood changed when he left the room and the discussion quickly turned to the vexed issue of engagement with the Kremlin — which is showing no desire to negotiate for peace.
EU leaders clashed over which constellation of countries should lead potential talks with Russia in the future.
Emmanuel Macron, the French president, called for Britain to get involved and said it was a matter of Europe taking the lead, not just the EU.
Merz favored operating under the E3 diplomatic format of France, Britain and Germany.
Donald Tusk of Poland, however, wanted a wider group of countries to lead the talks than the E3, of which he is not a member. The formation is also tainted by its negotiation of the Minsk agreements with Russia in 2015 after Moscow annexed Ukraine’s Crimea.
Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, who is also no fan of the E3 club, pushed European leaders to appoint a single EU envoy to open a dialogue with Moscow.
As talks on Ukraine dragged on longer than expected, Meloni argued that a unified European voice, chosen by all 27 member states, would strengthen the bloc in future negotiations, two EU diplomats said. Euractiv.
Speaking to the Italian media on Wednesday, Meloni DECLARING that the ideal profile would “come from a medium or smaller country”.
One prime minister told aides the discussion was “crazy” because there was no sign Putin would open up to talks to end the war.
Lourtie’s Hotline
or move by António Costa, the president of the European Council, to set up a hotline to the Kremlin to be ready for future negotiations divided the room, generating criticism and support among leaders, senior diplomats said.
Costa instructed seasoned Portuguese diplomat Pedro Lourtie, his chief of staff, to make two phone calls with Russian diplomats.
EU officials said it came after Zelenskyy pressed the EU at a summit in April to step into the mediating role vacated by the Americans, preoccupied by the war in Iran.
It was interpreted by some as a pitch by Costa to position himself for the role.
Baltic countries, Denmark and other Nordics were the most critical of the move, which Costa had not pre-coordinated with a wide range of countries.
Both France and Italy have called for Europe to talk to the Kremlin since late last year. Macron’s efforts were swiftly countered by Russia.
In May, Costa warned that the talks with Moscow were premature, saying that the EU would only talk to Vladimir Putin at the “right moment”.
It was a quiet moment at 2am when Costa walked past Bart De Wever, the Belgian prime minister, as he spoke to reporters.
“I was only talking about you António, full of praise! Saying that you are the only one who can represent us and that we will send you to Moscow as soon as possible!” the Belgian joked.
“Because I don’t like me in Brussels,” Costa told him immediately.
Elisa Braun and Thomas Moller-Nielsen contributed to the reporting
