EU picks 5 states to lead Russia-Ukraine talks

At the European Council in Dublin, the 27 EU member states agreed on a compromise to select five countries to represent them in the next round of Russia-Ukraine negotiations. The agreement satisfies the bloc's major European states, resolving the question of who will speak for the EU at the talks. Meanwhile, the European Commission has proposed a 23rd package of sanctions against Russia. The decision comes as EU officials, including Andrius Kubilius, have discussed European defense protocols and the potential for integrating Ukraine into the EU without full membership.