EU agrees on European team for Ukraine peace talks

European Union leaders have agreed on a team to represent Europe in Ukraine peace negotiations, comprising EU institutions and five member states, including Germany. The decision was announced after an informal EU summit in Dublin. The "European negotiation team for peace in Ukraine" will consist of the EU Commission, the Council, and the E5 countries: Germany, Britain, France, Italy, and Poland. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the team will support Ukraine and protect European interests, though it remains unclear who would sit at top-level talks with US, Russian, and Ukrainian leaders. The compromise follows disputes between smaller states favoring EU representatives and larger countries wanting their own negotiators. Russia's Foreign Ministry said it had no knowledge of the agreement, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz dismissed Moscow's contradictory statements as a "usual game."