EU leaders agree on representative team for Ukraine peace negotiations

European Council President António Costa announced the composition of a new European negotiation team for potential peace talks regarding the war in Ukraine on November 14, 2026. The announcement followed an informal summit in Dublin involving 27 European Union member states. This new group aims to ensure European interests are represented in future discussions regarding the conflict.

Composition of the negotiation team

The newly formed team will consist of representatives from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom, alongside officials from European Union institutions. These institutions include the European Commission and the European Council. While some reports suggest a core group of five countries, the inclusion of the United Kingdom brings the total number of participating states to six. According to Politico, the individual European states will be represented by their respective national security advisors during these proceedings.

President António Costa emphasized the importance of a unified approach during the summit. "It is necessary to have a team that speaks with a single voice," the President said. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the European Union supports Ukraine and aims to protect its interests while ensuring a just and lasting peace.

Diplomatic context and recent meetings

The decision to form this representative team follows a recent round of tripartite negotiations held in Abu Dhabi. That meeting involved the United States, Ukraine, and Russia but did not include European participation. Following those discussions, US negotiator Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Dublin. Their arrival in Ireland occurred after a meeting in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The push for European involvement follows previous indications from key leaders. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Jared Kushner had previously indicated that Europeans would be included in future negotiation rounds. The informal summit in Dublin, which was represented by Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, focused on these diplomatic structures. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš noted that the agreement on who represents Europe and under what conditions appears to be a good sign of progress.

Ongoing conflict and regional stability

The war in Ukraine has been ongoing for its fifth year as of November 2026. The formation of a formal European delegation marks a significant step in the diplomatic efforts to address the conflict. The presence of high-level officials, including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy, Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland, Prime Minister Andy Burnham of the United Kingdom, and EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, underscores the scale of the diplomatic effort required to manage the regional crisis.

The Dublin summit provided a platform for the 27 member states to coordinate their stance. While the primary focus of the summit was the formation of the negotiation team, some reports indicated that the original topic of the gathering was Artificial Intelligence. However, the resulting agreement focuses on establishing a structured European voice for the upcoming peace negotiations.

Glossary

• European Union — The European Union is a union of member states. It includes institutions such as the European Commission and the European Council.
• European Commission — The European Commission is an institution of the European Union. It provides recommendations to the Council of the European Union.
• European Council President — The European Council President is a leadership role within the European Council. The current holder of this position is António Costa.
• EU High Representative — The EU High Representative is an official within the European Union. The current holder of this position is Kaja Kallas.
• tripartite negotiations — Tripartite negotiations are discussions involving three parties. A recent round of these negotiations was held in Abu Dhabi involving the United States, Ukraine, and Russia.