European Commission President von der Leyen told EU leaders it is time to be prepared and consider an EU mandate to negotiate with Russia on Ukraine, as Costa's controversial Kremlin outreach draws pushback.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said now is the right time to be prepared and consider a mandate to negotiate with Russia, speaking at a closed-door meeting with EU leaders on Thursday.
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The head of the Commission said the EU should start considering a negotiating mandate for the peace talks on Ukraine, while stressing that Kyiv must remain in the driving seat of the diplomatic process, Euronews can confirm.
She also told leaders that sanctions are working, pointing to a set of economic indicators showing the Russian economy is running out of steam and inflation picking up.
Von der Leyen also told leaders that she believes the tide of the war is turning in favour of Ukraine, adding that the change in dynamics on the battlefield is remarkable.
Her comments took place during a private meeting of EU leaders alongside European Council President António Costa, who coordinates the 27 member states.
Earlier this week, it emerged that Costa had instructed his chief of staff to initiate a diplomatic channel with the Kremlin, reaching out to a senior aide of Russian President Vladimir Putin, understood to be Yuri Ushakov.
The head of the Commission was informed by Costa before the call took place. Yet, only a small group of leaders were consulted, leaving many in the dark and finding out through media reports on Wednesday.
The move proved controversial as the 27 gathered in Brussels, with several member states, notably on the eastern flank, insisting that far from being the right time to consider any engagement with Moscow, the EU must double down on sanctions to force Putin into real concessions.
Responding to a question by Euronews during a press conference on Friday, von der Leyen said: "Our continent is at risk, and this is why Europe must be one of the architects of a just and lasting peace."
"Sooner or later Russia will have to come to the negotiating table, notably through the pressure of our sanctions," she added. "And when that moment comes, we need a united European message to President Putin."
At the high-level meeting of EU leaders, Costa stressed that he had not initiated formal negotiations but merely opened a diplomatic line, in accordance with the EU institutional setting.
Euronews understands that several leaders indicated that Costa does have a mandate on issues related to sanctions, enlargement, and the frozen assets, but any matters related to security guarantees pertain to individual member states. Therefore, the Coalition of the Willing, led by France and the UK, should take the lead in those talks.
Yet President von der Leyen defended Costa's mandate on Friday, saying that he "represents the 27 member states."
Costa also told leaders that any single EU representative could not negotiate on territory on behalf of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Kyiv will not give up territories that it controls. He has, however, urged leaders to be prepared for eventual talks with Putin, calling for the EU to be at the table alongside Ukraine.
Still, during Thursday's discussion, Zelenskyy reiterated that the only way to end the war was to weaken Russia, adding that a ceasefire without security guarantees would not be enough for Ukraine.
He added that the idea of an EU negotiator remains hypothetical unless Russia showed willingness to sit at the table, which Zelenskyy stressed Putin is not ready to do.