Europe will send a negotiating team comprising the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and European Union institutions to upcoming talks on ending the war in Ukraine.
The agreement was struck on November 13, 2026, at an informal summit in Dublin, Ireland, as European leaders gathered amid concerns that a United States-backed peace process would leave the continent sidelined.
European Council President António Costa announced the E5 and institutional format at the conclusion of the meeting, stressing the need for a unified front. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that competing formats had previously hampered the continent’s ability to speak with a single, coherent voice.
At #EUCO, we are now discussing Ukraine and the ongoing efforts to negotiate a peace agreement. Our position is clear: Europe's security and Ukraine's security are inseparable. And our goal remains the same: a just and lasting peace for Ukraine. Europe will speak with a clear… pic.twitter.com/ogN6YEjpgl
French President Emmanuel Macron warned during a European Political Community gathering that the region could not remain dependent on American decisions regarding its security, emphasizing that without Europeans there is no support for Ukraine.
“Europe must speak with one clear voice and united voice in all discussions that shape the future of Ukraine and the security of our continent. And this is ultimately a team effort,” Costa told a news conference, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Today the Leaders agreed that the European Team for negotiations on peace in Ukraine is the EU institutions and the E5 of the Coalition of the Willing – France, Germany, Italy, Poland and the United Kingdom. Our principles and our positions in these negotiations remain well… pic.twitter.com/wFLM2ElTRo
The decision formalizes a coalition that includes the E3 nations alongside Italy and Poland. Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin stressed upon arrival at the summit that the representation needs to be finally decided upon within a week or two.
The diplomatic push follows meetings in the United Arab Emirates between Russian and Ukrainian representatives and U.S. presidential envoys. While American envoys indicated Europe would join the next round of negotiations, the Kremlin maintained a cautious stance.
Wczoraj późnym wieczorem na lotnisku wojskowym w Dublinie odbyły się rozmowy z udziałem przedstawicieli USA, UK, Polski, Niemiec, Francji, Włoch oraz instytucji UE. Amerykanie poinformowali o efektach spotkania w Moskwie.
The Kremlin earlier asserted that Europe must show it is ready to contribute to the peace process before a decision is made on letting Europeans join the negotiations. Russian authorities have maintained opposition to deploying European peacekeeping troops in Ukraine after a ceasefire.
“Once we understand their genuine intention and readiness to contribute to the peace process, then it will be possible to make a decision on holding dialogue on a Ukrainian settlement in an expanded format,” Peskov said.
Inside the bloc, the Dublin discussions bypassed the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, who had publicly laid claim to the envoy role. Kallas acknowledged that Russian authorities opposed her participation due to her hawkish stance against Moscow. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declined to back Kallas, affirming instead that the bloc’s 27 sovereign countries and institutions decided on their representation.
“I know that the Russians don’t want me, but, you know, do we have a say, ‘Who is representing Russia?’” Kallas said. Jared Kushner noted after U.S.-brokered talks in the United Arab Emirates that identifying one person to speak on Europe’s behalf would be a bigger achievement than getting the Russians to include them.
Ahead of the summit, 40 European countries signed a French initiative at the European Political Community meeting, committing to principles upholding Ukraine’s territorial integrity and independence.