Costa and von der Leyen enter the game. The EU wants to influence the peace negotiations

The head of the European Council, Antonio Costa, announced on Saturday that the leaders of 27 EU countries will meet on Monday in Luanda, Angola, regarding the draft plan for Ukraine. Some of its elements concern the EU directly, their implementation must be agreed within the EU, an EU source said.

“I have invited the leaders of all 27 EU countries to a special meeting on Ukraine, which will be held on the sidelines of the European Union-African Union summit in Luanda on Monday,” Costa wrote on X.

An EU source said that since the draft plan for Ukraine concerns the EU, it will now be considered at the working level.

This is a 28-point plan negotiated under the auspices of the United States, which was published by the American portal Axios on Thursday. According to him, Kyiv is to undertake, among other things, not to join NATO, limit the number of troops and give part of the territory to Russia. In return, the Ukrainian side could count on security guarantees which – according to the website – are similar to those in force within NATO.

The heads of state and government of the EU-27 will also be able to discuss it among themselves on Monday. Then, there will be an extraordinary meeting announced by Costa on Saturday, which will take place on the sidelines of the EU-African Union summit in Luanda. In the capital of Angola, the EU will be represented by Costa and the head of the EC, Ursula von der Leyen, who will arrive straight from the G20 summit in Johannesburg. Other leaders of EU countries will also be present there, but it is not known whether all of them will be present and whether the meeting will be held in a hybrid way – with some leaders taking part online.

In South Africa, Costa and von der Leyen raised the issue of the plan with the leaders of Canada, Italy, France, Great Britain, Germany and Japan, present in Johannesburg. In a joint statement, the leaders emphasized that the draft plan for Ukraine negotiated by the US is a basis requiring further work.

According to an EU source, Costa sees the possibility of further EU involvement in peace talks aimed at lasting peace. – However, further work is needed – it emphasized.

From Brussels Magdalena Cedro (PAP)

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