EU leaders to discuss special envoy for Ukraine peace talks, Bloomberg reports
European Union leaders will consider appointing a special envoy for potential negotiations to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during a meeting next week, sources familiar with the discussions told Bloomberg.
The proposal follows growing concerns that the EU has been sidelined from early talks involving the United States and Russia.
The discussion gained urgency after Washington engaged in direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, excluding both Ukraine and Europe from the conversation.
Francis Farrell
In mid-February, U.S. and Russian officials held a first round of talks in Saudi Arabia without European or Ukrainian participation. Keith Kellogg, U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy for Ukraine and Russia, has been meeting with European officials and reportedly indicated at the Munich Security Conference that the EU is unlikely to have a role in the negotiations.
Ukrainian officials have urged the EU to move quickly in naming a representative for potential peace discussions. European leaders are expected to use the March 6 summit to define a unified stance on defense and security guarantees for Ukraine, according to sources who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the issue.
The summit will also serve as a platform to outline the EU’s broader vision for Ukraine’s future security and potential post-war settlement. Leaders will discuss what peace terms should look like and what commitments the bloc is willing to make to support Kyiv in any negotiations with Moscow and Washington.
Additionally, the European Commission is set to present a plan to boost the continent’s defense industry with an injection of hundreds of billions of euros. The commission is also expected to propose measures allowing more flexible defense spending while ensuring compliance with EU fiscal rules, according to the sources.
Oleg Sukhov
