Kallas Named EU Representatives for Ukraine and Russia Negotiations

The head of EU diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, stated that it has already been determined who will represent Europe in the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. The agreements in the field of European security contain very clear provisions, she said on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit in Dublin on Thursday, November 12. According to Kallas, Europe on security issues should be represented by the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and herself as the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. "Of course, heads of state and government can make a different decision if they wish. But I assure you that it will be a very difficult task. It is easier to adhere to existing agreements," Kallas said. **Kallas: "Russians Should Not Worry About Who Will Represent Europe"** At the same time, she emphasized that Russians should not be concerned about who will represent Europe in the negotiations. "Why should we care about what the Russians say about our representatives? Do we comment on their representatives - who should represent them? After all, everyone has the right to choose their representatives," she pointed out. Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel stated before the meeting in Dublin that the content of the negotiations is more important than the identity of the representative. At the same time, he emphasized that the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, is a natural candidate for this role, as he was elected by the heads of state and government of the EU. "Therefore, I support the participation of President Costa in such negotiations," Bettel said. Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs emphasized that Costa should officially represent the European institutional system. "If we look at our institutional structure, the official representative is Antonio Costa. Yes, officially," he said. **E3 Format** On November 10, Ukraine and Russia resumed direct negotiations at the working level for the first time in several months regarding the cessation of the war in Ukraine, with the mediation of the United States. American negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner intend to convince Russian President Vladimir Putin that Europeans should participate in future peace negotiations. In the European Union, there has been an ongoing dispute about who exactly should represent European countries. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz believes that Germany, France, and the United Kingdom should play a leading role. According to him, the so-called E3 format has already proven its effectiveness. Italy and Poland are also involved in this format in certain cases. Merz stated that he sees no problems in maintaining this format.