Following a three-day summit in Abu Dhabi where representatives from Ukraine, the US and Russia met earlier this week, it is necessary to select an EU candidate to join the negotiating table.
Already last week, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni voiced her support for a unified EU stance in peace talks with Russia. She further emphasised the need to choose a single candidate for these talks at the informal meeting of leaders within the framework of the European Council, which will take place in Dublin on Friday, 13 November. The meeting of the European Political Community (founded in 2022 after the launch of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine) will take place the day before, comprising all members of the European Union, Ukraine and other allies. The need to have a European negotiator at the table was also expressed by American allies from Donald Trump's administration. According to them, it is essential that someone joins on behalf of the European Union as soon as possible to defend European interests. In their view, the summit in Abu Dhabi should be the last one without the participation of a European representative. They also expressed support for the leaders of Norway and Sweden for contacting Vladimir Putin by phone on 27 October, two weeks prior. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also commented on the issue, welcoming the idea as part of the dialogue with the EU on further negotiations. According to the Ukrainian President, it would be best to select a candidate by the end of November so that the EU can join the peace talks as soon as possible.
Considerations regarding who should become the European figure in the peace negotiations have also expanded to include the possibility that it might not be just an individual, but rather a small group of European leaders. In October, the British newspaper The Telegraph published an article citing diplomatic sources on who might belong to this group. Names currently under consideration include Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni,Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Czech President Petr Pavel.
In a recent debate at the University of Copenhagen, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated that she would not want to represent the interests of the European Union as an individual. According to her, the EU should assess its position on a European leader and select one as soon as possible. However, it is not yet known when this European leader or group might participate in the proceedings, as Russia has reservations about it. Everything should become clear at the summit in Dublin on Friday—whether European representatives will reach an agreement, or whether this summit will lead to further discussions on selecting a suitable member.
Looking at it from a logical standpoint, a better choice would be a smaller group of European leaders who would ensure fair conditions for everyone and act in the interest of the entire Union. This would likely lead to an exchange of views, but on the other hand, it would truly test how well the EU sticks together and manages to reach an agreement despite differing opinions. As the Slovak proverb goes, "two heads are better than one".
On Thursday, China began celebrations marking the 160th anniversary of the birth of Sun Yat-sen, the founding father of the Republic of China. In an anniversary speech, President Xi Jinping declared that the unification of Taiwan with the motherland is inevitable. However, he stressed the importance of peaceful incorporation without the need for violence.
The Ukrainian economy is facing another serious test. While economic activity is weakening, prices continue to rise. Furthermore, ongoing Russian attacks, financing issues and labour shortages are raising questions about how quickly the country can recover after the war.
