ROME — Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni warned on Thursday that Europe risks becoming irrelevant in Ukraine peace negotiations unless it ends competing diplomatic initiatives and agrees on a single representative to speak for the bloc.
In a letter to European Council President Antonio Costa, Meloni said the proliferation of different negotiating formats was weakening Europe’s credibility and creating the impression that it was proceeding in “random order.” She called on EU leaders to decide who should represent Europe and what mandate that representative should have.
Meloni said she was not seeking a seat at the negotiating table for herself or Italy, but stressed that Rome would not accept commitments negotiated without an EU mandate. She urged that the matter be discussed at an informal European Council meeting in Dublin next week.
She proposed that a formal decision be taken at a December summit, following coordination with Britain, Norway and other European partners.