EU leaders departed Dublin on Friday night after two days of diplomatic hobnobbing that saw Europe elbow its way into the Ukraine peace negotiations while also demonstrating a familiar failing: the difficulty of speaking with one voice.
Hours were spent wrangling over who should be the EU’s representative in the talks, a discussion that gained urgency when Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff arrived in Baldonnel on Thursday night to announce they had persuaded Russia to have the Europeans at the negotiating table.
The Europeans are determined to be there, not just because the US has largely abandoned Ukraine, but also because of concerns that the US and Russia will agree a new “security architecture” for Europe. Cue alarm bells in the Baltics and eastern Europe that the US will abandon its Nato security guarantees, leaving them at the mercy of Vladimir Putin. If this seems remote in Dublin, it is anything but in Tallinn. If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu, etc.
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Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, had suggested herself for the role. But she is not a heavyweight, nor cut out for this particular shark tank. Ursula von der Leyen is always available. Others suggested the big states – Germany, France, maybe Poland. Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni – who always looks on the verge of ducking out for a sneaky fag – is well-got with the Americans and has been resolute on Ukraine. There was also the question of the non-EU Europeans, like the UK. Wrangle, wrangle, delay, fudge.
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Micheál Martin says the important thing is what Europe says, not who says it. Europe says it will support Ukraine militarily, diplomatically, financially. But Europe’s military capacity is limited and it is unsure of where it will get the financial resources. And diplomatically? As ever, the EU spends its time on internal haggling, not external action.
The Taoiseach was asked if he might be the Man, but modestly pushed back. He also pooh-poohed the idea that he had used an interview to send messages to his backbenchers about his future intentions.
The Taoiseach was almost certainly being truthful here. He spends little time thinking about his backbenchers in the normal course of events, so the suggestion that he would be worrying about them in the middle of a summit is far-fetched. Micheál loves a summit and has been living his best life this week.
The real star of the show, though, has been the Department of Foreign Affairs. Especially its deputy chief of protocol, Ralph Victory, who has been the front-of-house man at the Convention Centre. Every 90 seconds or so, a motorcade pulled up. Our man sprang into action, greeting the arriving dignitary and smoothly guiding them inside.
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“Good morning, prime minister. How are you, sir. Nice to see you again. You’re very welcome. The sun is shining . . . Can I invite you to come this way, please? Just through these doors on the left. Thank you, prime minister.”
Never once did he miss a beat, never once did he mix up the Slovenians with the Slovakians, or the Armenians with the Andorrans. The summits went off swimmingly.
