EU leaders in Dublin seek role in Ukraine peace talks, AI competition

European Union leaders met in Dublin on Friday for a summit focused on securing Europe's role in Ukraine peace negotiations, with artificial intelligence competition also on the agenda. The talks follow Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's meeting with US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff near Dublin. Zelensky said European representatives would participate directly in the next round of talks, a claim Kushner confirmed, though the Kremlin has not yet agreed. Russia's Vladimir Putin rejected demilitarised zones and foreign peacekeepers, insisting on territorial claims over four Ukrainian regions that Kyiv and Western allies reject. The summit was originally planned as the EU's first AI-focused gathering, featuring French AI developer Mistral's CEO and Nobel laureate Geoffrey Hinton. Europe faces financial hurdles in semiconductor and AI infrastructure plans amid budget disagreements.