EU leaders clash over unannounced Russia outreach

European Council President António Costa defended his surprise decision to open a diplomatic channel with Russia during a summit of EU leaders, a move that has caused friction among several member states who were not consulted. Costa's chief of staff, Pedro Lourtie, reportedly made several calls to a top aide of Russian President Vladimir Putin, with the aim of assessing conditions for peace negotiations.

An EU official stated that these were brief contacts, not negotiations, intended to prepare for defending EU interests when the appropriate moment arises. The initiative, reportedly encouraged by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has highlighted existing divisions within the EU on how to engage with Russia. While some nations, including Slovenia and Austria, supported the move, others, such as Poland and the Baltic states, expressed concerns, suggesting that such engagement should be handled through the E3 format (Germany, France, UK) or that it is not the opportune moment.

The summit conclusions, for the first time, stated the EU's readiness to 'step up its engagement' in negotiations, though the timing of Costa's communication before these conclusions were sealed raised questions about his mandate. Multiple officials confirmed they learned of the diplomatic communication through media reports, underscoring a lack of transparency and a divergence in strategies for dealing with Russia.