Europe

Home page

Europe

Five European leaders considered for talks with Russia on Ukraine – Telegraph

23 October 2026 02:45 (UTC +04:00)

Five European leaders are being considered to represent Europe in talks with Russia on Ukraine, The Daily Telegraph reported, citing sources.

The candidates include Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Czech President Petr Pavel, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.

According to the newspaper, European Council President António Costa recently declined a proposal to conduct the negotiations during a meeting in Brussels.

Discussions about the need for dialogue with Russia have intensified in European capitals in recent months, the report said. European leaders believe US President Donald Trump does not represent their interests.

One source told the newspaper that Europe must first reach a consensus on whether negotiations with Russia are necessary, before defining its negotiating position.

Another source said a group of leaders was more likely to represent Europe to avoid competition between countries and the risk of a veto against any individual candidate.