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BRUSSELS: A diplomatic overture to the Kremlin by European Council President Antonio Costa has exposed divisions among EU leaders over how to handle relations with Russia even as the war in Ukraine shows no signs of ending soon. A senior aide to Costa made brief contacts with the Kremlin in recent weeks “to open communication channels”, according to an EU official, breaking years of silence between Brussels and Russia.
The EU has sought to isolate Russia diplomatically and economically since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. And if European leaders have recently begun discussing the possibility of direct talks with Moscow, reactions to Costa’s initiative showed they don’t yet agree when, how, or who should be in charge.
Lack of coordination
Costa’s move drew criticism from some leaders at a two-day summit in Brussels, who said it was not coordinated with them and that the EU should focus on putting more pressure on Russia, according to people familiar with the closed-door discussions, which took place late on Thursday.
