Montenegro proposes EU negotiators' back or hard for Russia

O prime Minister today suggested that the President of the European Council, António Costa, or former President of the European Commission Barroso, represent the European Union in possible negotiations with Russia.

In statements to journalists outside the European Political Community summit in Dublin, Luís Montenegro recalled that in the past he had said that there were Portuguese personalities who could assume the role of representing the European Union (EU) in possible negotiations with Russia.

“ I can do it today if you want. We have more than one option. We have an option within the European institutional framework, which is the President of the European Council, who is a qualified person, Dr António Costa, who can play this role”, he suggested.

The Prime Minister added, however, that there are also “other personalities outside the institutional framework, such as Dr. Barroso”.

Montenegro stressed that it does not propose these names “for any reason of nationality of the representative or interlocutor”, stressing that the most important thing is that the European Union has a strategy “that can be played by someone who absorbs collective thinking”.

The Heads of State or Government of more than 40 European countries are meeting today in Dublin for a EPC summit focused on the security and competitiveness of the continent.

This summit will take place on the eve of EU leaders in Dublin also meeting for an informal summit of the European Council, where the representation of the bloc will be discussed in possible negotiations with Russia.