Five European Nations to Represent EU in Ukraine Peace Talks

Five European nations—France, Germany, the UK, Poland, and Italy—will represent Europe in upcoming Ukraine peace talks, despite Moscow's claims it has not lifted its veto on an expanded format. The decision was announced by European Council President Antonio Costa after an EU summit in Dublin. While US envoys claimed Russia agreed to European participation, the Kremlin said it must first verify Europe's "true intentions" before deciding on expanded talks. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz dismissed Moscow's stance as "the usual game," citing a clear agreement with Americans for concrete peace talks in coming weeks. Europeans also rejected Russian input on selecting their representative, with EU leaders prioritizing a ceasefire over discussing Russia's security architecture demands.