Meloni Calls for Single EU Representative to Lead Talks With Russia

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has called on the EU to appoint a single representative for potential negotiations with Russia, arguing that no existing group of European leaders has the legitimacy to speak on behalf of the entire bloc.

Speaking to lawmakers in Rome on Thursday, ahead of next week’s G7 and European leaders’ summit, Meloni said Europe should maintain its support for Ukraine while also developing a coordinated approach to diplomatic engagement with Moscow.

“Our firmness with regards to Russia shouldn’t become diplomatic blindness or self-exclusion,” Meloni said, according to Bloomberg.

“Europe must consider jointly and pragmatically how it interacts with Moscow.”

The Italian leader said it was “key to find someone who can represent European interests at the negotiating table,” signaling support for a more centralized European role in any future peace efforts involving Russia and Ukraine.

Her remarks come days after she was excluded from a meeting in London attended by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz

While Meloni did not directly criticize the meeting, she suggested that smaller diplomatic formats risk creating divisions within Europe.

“The real issue is not who is part of this or that format, but rather that no format currently has the legitimacy to speak on behalf of Europe entirely,” she said.

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Meloni argued that the current patchwork of diplomatic initiatives produces “fragmentation, confusion, and weakness” rather than a unified European position.

The comments highlight an emerging debate within Europe over who should represent the bloc in any future negotiations related to Russia’s war against Ukraine.

While major European powers have increasingly coordinated their diplomacy through smaller groups, Italy is now pushing for a structure that would carry a mandate from the EU as a whole.

Meloni reiterated Italy’s support for Ukraine, framing her proposal as an effort to strengthen Europe’s influence rather than soften its stance toward Moscow.