EU leaders pick five nations to represent Europe in Ukraine talks

EU leaders agreed Friday in Dublin that five major European countries—France, Germany, the UK, Poland, and Italy—will represent Europe at Ukraine peace negotiations, alongside EU institutions. The decision came after US envoys said Russia accepted European participation. The informal summit, originally focused on AI, was dominated by Ukraine. NATO's role remains unclear, with some sources saying it will participate while others note security guarantees are handled by France, Germany, and the UK. EU leaders must now decide the negotiation mandate covering ceasefire, security guarantees, and reconstruction. The format excludes EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, raising questions about her role. Meanwhile, Germany's chancellor threatened to block the EU budget if a €45 billion Ukrainian loan isn't funded by all 27 members, with several countries expressing reservations.