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, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said Moscow needs to verify Europe's "true intentions" first, a stance German Chancellor Friedrich Merz dismissed as typical Kremlin maneuvering. European leaders insist they will choose their own representatives and prioritize a ceasefire over Russia's demands for a new European security architecture. They also fear potential surprises from next week's Trump-Putin meeting in China.