KYIV – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on European countries to decide by November who will represent Europe in any potential negotiations with Russia. While EU representatives are present in Abu Dhabi, they are reportedly not direct participants in the current trilateral discussions involving Ukraine, Russia, and the United States.
Europe Seeks a Unified Voice
Zelensky stressed the importance of formally mandating a future negotiator to speak on behalf of all European partners. Without agreement on a single representative, there is a risk that individual countries will advance their own views independently.
The peace talks encompass not just a ceasefire, but also security guarantees, sanctions, and Ukraine’s future position in Europe. Different countries may have differing priorities concerning these issues.
Potential Candidates
In recent weeks, British media have mentioned several possible political leaders for the negotiating role, including Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. However, this list remains informal and no official decision has been made.
On November 10, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico also proposed EU Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič for the position. However, this is only a suggestion and not an official mandate from European institutions.
No Mandate Decided Yet
According to reports, European diplomats are meeting with their American and Ukrainian counterparts, but are not sitting directly at the negotiating table with Russia. The question of European representation thus remains unresolved and subject to further diplomatic negotiations.
It is important to distinguish between announced candidacies and an actual negotiating mandate.
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Source: ČTK, RBK-Ukraine, Pravda, November 10, 2026
This article was translated from the original Slovak version with the assistance of AI.
