According to Politico, at least three camps have formed within the European Union. The main dispute revolves around the candidacy of the individual who will lead the dialogue on the Ukraine issue.
Candidate options and positions of the parties
The first group of states supports António Costa, who holds the position of President of the European Council. His candidacy is considered natural due to his current office. The second group, which includes France and Germany, seeks to maintain a leading role, unwilling to transfer authority to Brussels.
The third, smallest camp, advocates for the appointment of Kaja Kallas as the head of European diplomacy. However, sources told the publication that her tough stance toward Russia could complicate the negotiation process.
US activity and Moscow's reaction
Parallel to the internal discussions within the EU, US diplomatic activity continues. US presidential special representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner visited Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin following trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi. Washington representatives then traveled to Dublin to meet Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov commented on the attempts by European countries to join the process. According to him, EU countries must decide between the pursuit of peace or the continuation of the conflict, noting that the current actions of European states indicate a desire to continue the confrontation.
