Five countries announced to represent the EU in negotiations with Russia

According to him, the European team in the negotiations will be represented by the institutions of the European Union and the E5 countries that are part of the 'coalition of the willing' — France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom. "Our principles and positions in these negotiations are well known. The European team will continue to act in close coordination and full unity. Europe must speak with one clear and unequivocal voice in all discussions that define the future of Ukraine and the security of our continent. Ultimately, this is a collective effort," noted Costa. "The EU plays a central role in discussing Ukraine's European future, its recovery, and prosperity. Security guarantees must be discussed within the framework of the 'coalition of the willing' in close coordination with NATO. As I said, we will work on this initiative as a united European team," he added. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also stated that she welcomes the momentum in efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace, as well as the establishment of a European negotiation team in the E5 format plus two EU institutions — the European Council and the European Commission. According to her, European negotiators intend to support Ukraine and defend their own interests, with their focus in the negotiations being on ending the conflict and achieving peace. "Together with Ukraine and our partners, we must focus on working in several areas. In particular, this involves reliable legally binding security guarantees and a package of measures to ensure Ukraine's post-war prosperity," emphasized von der Leyen. She specified that the European Union has already been working for "many months" on a package for Ukraine's recovery after the conflict in collaboration with partners.