Macron, Merz clash with EU over Putin talks

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have publicly rebuked the European Union's efforts to establish communication channels with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The strong disagreement surfaced during a late-night summit in Brussels, exposing a significant rift among EU leaders regarding the bloc's strategy towards Russia and the Ukraine conflict.

Macron and Merz expressed dismay over actions taken by European Council President António Costa's office, which reportedly contacted Moscow twice to establish a diplomatic channel. According to officials, the French and German leaders argued that the time is not appropriate for such engagement and that any future negotiations should be led by the "E3" group, comprising France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

However, a substantial number of other EU leaders sided with Costa, asserting that the EU, through its Council, is the appropriate body to represent the bloc in diplomatic overtures. This division highlights ongoing tensions within the EU concerning the balance between pursuing diplomacy and supporting Ukraine's military efforts on the battlefield. Some leaders, including those from staunchly anti-Russia nations, Denmark, and the Netherlands, reportedly displayed significant anger towards Costa, particularly after learning about the contacts through media reports.

Further complicating the discussions, Italy and Poland expressed frustration at being excluded from preliminary talks involving the "E3" and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Questions were also raised about whether the European Council, the European Commission, or the EU's foreign policy arm should spearhead such diplomatic initiatives.

Costa's team defended the contacts, stating their sole purpose was to establish a communication channel to defend EU interests when the opportune moment arises, and that the exchanges were brief and lacked substantive content. While Costa's cabinet reportedly informed Germany, France, the UK, and the Commission beforehand, conflicting accounts suggest Berlin may not have been fully briefed. The summit's discussions, which lasted two hours longer than scheduled, underscored the deep divisions on how to approach Russia amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine.