Italy clashes with EU partners over Ukraine peace talks format at Dublin summit

At the Dublin summit, Italy clashed with France and Germany over the EU's negotiating format for Ukraine, while a new "E5" group including Italy emerged. The dispute centers on who should represent Europe in peace talks with the US, Ukraine, and Russia. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni rejected the E3 format (UK, France, Germany) and pushed for a unified EU voice. US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with European sherpas, agreeing to shift negotiations from trilateral to multilateral. Meloni also held a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The debate will continue Friday at the informal European Council in Dublin. Meloni insists the current structure is unacceptable, while Baltic states support existing EU negotiators. The next peace talks round is expected after November 19, with discussions also planned in Berlin and Shenzhen.