EU seeks negotiators for potential talks within weeks

EU leaders are seeking to appoint negotiators for potential talks, with discussions underway at an informal summit in Dublin on Friday. No decision is expected today, but Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin hopes for clarity within the next two weeks. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson supports a broad European representation, favoring the E3 format—Britain, France, and Germany—alongside EU institutions, while remaining open to alternatives involving Italy and Poland. Many prefer Council President António Costa, though he notes other representatives may suit certain issues, such as the "coalition of the willing" for Ukraine security guarantees. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stressed that Moscow should not decide the negotiator, warning Russia seeks a weak counterpart to push maximal demands. The summit also includes discussions on AI, featuring French innovator Arthur Mensch and Nobel laureate Geoffrey Hinton as guests.