Diplomacy

The ninth summit of the European Political Community brought together leaders from across the continent in Dublin, Ireland under the general theme 'Europe -strong, secure and connected'. Speaking at a press conference after the end of the summit the president of the European Council, Antonio Costa, summed up the discussions. He said: The search for a just lasting peace in Ukraine was the central theme of today’s discussions. Here is why it is important to recall Europe’s priorities in the ongoing negotiations. They are clear and they remain unchanged: first, reaching a ceasefire second, reestablishing navigation in the Black Sea third, creating the conditions for a peace agreement The fact is that, so far, there has been limited concrete progress in that direction. Because, so far, Russia continues to be focussed on escalating the war. It has yet to demonstrate that it prioritises peace over dominance. But, as the pace of diplomacy accelerates, it is important to recall that a lasting peace needs to be a just peace. And a just peace, a peace that allows for security in Europe to be restored, needs to be anchored in clear principles. First of all, Ukraine is a sovereign nation like any other nation in Europe. It must remain free to choose its alliances and its partnerships. Europe has consigned empires and zones of influence to the dustbin of history. And we will never allow for them to come to life again. Secondly, the future of European security cannot be discussed and decided without Europe. That is why the European Union, together with NATO and several European nations is playing its role in the ongoing diplomatic efforts. We are engaging as a team – side by side with our Ukrainian partners. The third principle concerns European security architecture. It is important to recall that Europe has an established European security architecture. Unfortunately, in the last decades Russia decided to undermine it by force. Culminating in the invasion of Ukraine. We are determined to continue to uphold on the same fundamental principles that have been guiding the foreign policies of peaceful European nations for decades: the sovereign equality between European nations refraining from the threat or use of force the inviolability of borders the territorial integrity of States the peaceful settlement of disputes These principles of international law will continue to guide the European Union in any negotiations about peace in Ukraine and security in Europe. The ninth summit of the European Political Community brought together leaders from across the continent in Dublin, Ireland under the general theme 'Europe -strong, secure and connected'. The summit was co-chaired by António Costa, the President of the European Council, and Micheál Martin, Taoiseach of Ireland. More than 40 heads of state and government took part in this ninth meeting of the European Political Community. The Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, also participated in the European Political Community summit, for the second time, as a guest. The European Political Community aims to: foster political dialogue and cooperation to address issues of common interest strengthen the security, stability and prosperity of the European continent The next meetings of the European Political Community will take place in Switzerland and Greece.

Ukraine and Russia could see European countries join the next round of peace negotiations, following talks between US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday (November 12). However, conflicting positions over European military involvement, Ukraine’s territorial future and the continent’s security arrangements highlight the difficulties facing the diplomatic process. Speaking after the meeting, Witkoff said European participation would be an important development, describing the countries concerned as key partners. Kushner also indicated that Washington had noticed a shift in European attitudes and believed their involvement would not obstruct progress. In a statement published on X, he said the expanded discussions would address broader European security arrangements alongside territorial disputes between Russia and Ukraine. The US envoys subsequently travelled to Dublin, where they met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a European summit. Zelenskyy welcomed the possibility of European participation and expressed hope that the negotiations would include measures to reduce tensions and establish ceasefires. He also reiterated the importance of European representation in decisions concerning the continent’s security. Moscow, however, has offered a more cautious interpretation of the proposed expansion. Putin's aide, Yuri Ushakov, suggested that European countries should first reconsider their military assistance to Kyiv, arguing that their current actions demonstrated an unwillingness to pursue peace. Putin similarly called on Washington to work with its European allies to establish whether they genuinely wanted peace or continued confrontation with Russia. The Russian president also rejected the prospect of European peacekeeping troops being deployed to Ukraine following a potential agreement, describing such a presence as a continuation of the war. His position reflects wider disagreements over the future European security architecture, with Moscow seeking discussions on the continent's broader security arrangements, while European leaders insist that such negotiations cannot replace a settlement of the war. Simultaneously, Zelenskyy raised concerns about disruptions to Starshield, the US-made satellite communications service used by Ukrainian forces. He described Washington’s discussions with Moscow about Europe's future security as unusual and warned against decisions that could undermine Ukraine's sovereignty. Despite the diplomatic activity, fighting continued. Russian drone attacks killed two people in Ukraine's Sumy region and injured five in Rivne, while a separate attack in Russia's Belgorod region killed one person and injured four. Ukrainian agricultural company Kernel Holding also suspended operations at all its oilseed extraction facilities following repeated Russian attacks.