Europe must have 'strong voice' in peace talks with Russia, Zelenskyy tells European Council chief

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday that he spoke to European Council President Antonio Costa over the phone and discussed prospects for peace negotiations with Russia, European security, and Ukraine’s EU integration process.

On the social media channel Telegram, Zelenskyy said he and Costa discussed recent contacts with European leaders and US representatives about efforts to end the conflict.

“We still see that Europe should be in the negotiations,” Zelenskyy said, stressing that the continent must have “a strong voice and presence” in the process and that Europe should determine who would represent it in future talks.

The Ukrainian president added that the conversation covered Ukraine's European integration efforts and that Kyiv is ready to open negotiation clusters with the European Union, having discussed the timeline and necessary coordination on the matter.

Zelenskyy thanked Costa and European leaders for their continued support for Ukraine and its people.