Costa's Russia Initiative Exposes EU Rift over Moscow Outreach

European Council President António Costa's attempt to open a channel of communication with the Kremlin has drawn mixed reactions from European Union leaders. In recent weeks the Office of the President of the European Council has established brief diplomatic contacts with the Russian side, with the aim of reestablishing communication after years of severed relations.

The move drew criticism during the EU summit in Brussels. Several officials objected that the initiative had not been coordinated in advance and argued that the Union should focus primarily on increasing pressure on Russia. According to Reuters sources, the skeptics included German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and representatives from the Nordic and Baltic countries.

Costa defended his approach, arguing that Europe needs its own diplomatic channel and cannot rely solely on information relayed by other actors. In his view, this is also important for supporting Ukraine.

Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, among others, expressed their support for him. Several other leaders, however, said any negotiations with Moscow would be premature at this stage, and that the EU still needs to clarify who would represent it in any future talks.

(Reuters, bak)