After shaking Costa’s hand, De Wever explained: “I was saying you’re the only one who can represent us.” After a brief pause, Costa responded: “Thank you very much.”
“And that we should send you to Moscow as soon as possible,” De Wever added with a grin.
The quip was a reference to leaders’ discussions over whether the EU should establish a direct channel of communication with Putin and, more broadly, who, if anyone, should speak for the bloc in any future peace negotiations.
Costa immediately burst out laughing. “Because you don’t like me in Brussels!” he fired back before disappearing into the night.
During Thursday’s dinner, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pushed back against efforts by Costa to reach out to the Kremlin, according to five EU diplomats and officials who were briefed on the closed-door discussion.
Several other leaders, however, sided with Costa, underscoring divisions over how — and by whom — Europe should engage Moscow.