EU preparing for potential negotiations with Russia — European Council president

Lead

European Council President António Costa has said the European Union is preparing for potential talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the conflict in Ukraine, according to reporting by TASS. Costa stated he is consulting the bloc’s 27 national leaders on how best to organise such discussions and identify what Europe would need to address with Russia when the moment is right. The comments come amid statements from several European leaders pointing to a growing interest in diplomatic pathways, even as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has pressed Europe to choose a preferred negotiator for eventual peace talks and to ensure reliable protection against ongoing attacks.

TASS reported that Costa described “potential” for the EU to negotiate with Putin. Separate TASS coverage quoted German Chancellor Friedrich Merz saying Europe is ready to sit at the negotiating table with Ukraine, Russia and the United States, while emphasising that fighting must first cease. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev, speaking alongside Merz, called for Europe to begin negotiations and achieve a balance between military, economic and diplomatic instruments, adding that the time has come for diplomacy.

Coverage Comparison

Reporting from TASS has centred on statements by Costa, Merz and Radev that frame European readiness for dialogue, internal consultations among EU leaders, and an informal foreign ministers’ meeting planned in Cyprus. Those accounts also note repeated earlier calls by European leaders and officials for resumed dialogue with Russia, and they record a Luxembourgish Member of the European Parliament inviting colleagues to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

The Guardian focused on Zelenskyy’s suggestion that Europe should pick its preferred negotiator after talks with Costa, his insistence that Europe must be involved with a strong voice and presence, and his concurrent appeal for protection following a large-scale Russian attack involving more than 500 drones and 20 missiles. The Guardian also noted the practical difficulty of identifying a single European figurehead for any such talks. Across the available accounts, the common thread is European discussion of a possible negotiating role, while the emphasis differs between organisational preparations inside the EU and Ukraine’s call for clear representation and security measures.

Key Claims

• The European Union is preparing for potential talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the conflict in Ukraine, as reported by TASS citing European Council President António Costa.
• Costa is talking with the EU’s 27 national leaders to organise discussions and identify what needs to be addressed with Russia, according to TASS.
• European leaders have called for resuming dialogue with Russia multiple times, TASS reported.
• EU countries will hold their first discussion on the possibility of negotiations with Russia at an informal meeting of foreign ministers in Cyprus on 27-28 May, with the main topic a list of European conditions; no decision is expected at that meeting, a diplomatic source in Brussels told TASS.
• German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that Europe is ready to sit at the negotiating table with Ukraine, Russia and the United States, while emphasising that the fighting must cease first and that there are currently no concrete plans for direct negotiations, according to TASS.
• Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev pointed to the need for Europe to begin negotiations with Russia, stressed achieving a balance between military, economic and diplomatic instruments, and stated that the time has come for diplomacy, TASS reported.
• Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggested that the time has come for Europe to pick its preferred negotiator for eventual peace talks with Russia after discussing the issue with Costa, and urged Europe to ensure reliable protection against Russian attacks, as reported by The Guardian.
• Russia attacked Ukraine with over 500 drones and 20 missiles, according to The Guardian’s account of Zelenskyy’s remarks.
• Luxembourgish Member of the European Parliament Fernand Kartheiser invited European Parliament members to attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, TASS reported.

Perspectives

European Council President António Costa has described ongoing consultations aimed at preparing the EU for possible future discussions with Russia. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has presented Europe as ready to negotiate once fighting stops, while noting that concrete plans for direct talks do not yet exist and that internal EU and E3 discussions continue. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev has argued that diplomacy must now take priority and that Europe should balance military, economic and diplomatic tools so negotiations can begin quickly. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has insisted that Europe must be involved with a strong presence, that a specific representative should be chosen, and that reliable protection against attacks remains essential.