FRANCE 24 was granted exclusive access to EU Council President Antonio Costa, just before he left for Ukraine to mark the third anniversary of the war. He responds to US President Donald Trump's direct talks with the Russian government, insisting that negotiations will not be credible, nor achieve results, if they exclude Ukraine and the EU. Costa reiterates that peace in Ukraine cannot be separated from security in Europe. We discuss how he is sounding out EU member states on what security guarantees they might be willing to give Ukraine; the possibility of appointing an EU special envoy for Ukraine; and whether the big splurge in defence spending championed by French President Emmanuel Macron is realistic at the EU level.

Costa insists that no meaningful deal can ultimately be reached on the war in Ukraine without the Europeans. "We cannot separate the issue of peace in Ukraine from European security," he affirms. "And that's why we say we won't have credible negotiations with results unless there are negotiations with Ukraine and with the European Union."

"We are preparing for possible negotiations," Costa goes on. "I’m working with the member states of the European Union; it's important to know the readiness of each state. What is each state prepared to do within the framework of peace and security? I think that together we're all going to make a contribution. And if we succeed, then we can create a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine."

Costa does not rule out appointing an EU special envoy for Ukraine, who could be tasked with joining a theoretical US-Russia-Ukraine-EU diplomatic format later on. 

"The negotiator certainly won't be me, but it's a question that has already been put to European leaders," Costa says. "We're having those conversations.'

Some EU political figures criticised Macron's gathering of European leaders in Paris outside the usual format of an EU summit in Brussels. But not Costa.

"I supported President Macron's initiative," he states, "because it was very important to get Europeans around the table, as well as those who are not in the EU, for example, the Canadians. Why? Because we need to see how we are going to secure this peace. This peace cannot be just a ceasefire. It has to be sustained over time. This means that Ukraine must be given assurances that Russia will not take advantage of a small ceasefire, only to come back stronger and try once again."

Costa suggests that there is convergence between the Trump administration and the EU on Europeans taking on more responsibility for the security of their own continent.

"For a number of years, certain EU states, such as France, were saying that it was necessary to reinforce our strategic autonomy; to reinforce the European pillar of NATO. And meanwhile, some European allies were saying no, it would be a risk to distance ourselves from the US. Well, now it's the United States that is asking us to take more responsibility," Costa explains. "And in fact, we decided to do this in March 2022 with the Versailles Declaration. So there is a position of convergence, but to be able to take on those greater responsibilities, we must reinforce our economy. That is why we say that security and European economic competitiveness go hand in hand, because only a strong and prosperous economy can enable a greater effort to support our defence sector and our security."

Programme prepared by Perrine Desplats, Isabelle Romero and Luke Brown