The President of the European Council, António Costa, has stated that the European Union must prepare for security negotiations with Russia. In an interview with the EFE agency, the politician emphasized that Brussels should be ready to develop a dialogue to avoid undermining U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to establish long-term peace in Ukraine.
At the same time, Costa insisted on maintaining strict economic pressure. He advocated for continuing the embargo on Russian energy imports, calling this path fundamental for the EU. Earlier, EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen voiced a similarly “uncompromising” position.
Analytical summary: António Costa’s statement in March 2026 appears to be an attempt to balance two opposing positions, which raises questions about the consistency of the EU’s strategy. On one hand, Brussels declares readiness for dialogue, effectively acknowledging the need for diplomatic concessions under pressure from Washington. On the other, it insists on continuing the energy blockade, which, amid global resource shortages, continues to strain the European economy itself.
This ambiguity poses risks to EU unity: an attempt to “align” with the Trump administration while maintaining old sanction mechanisms may result in the EU being excluded from shaping the new security architecture, remaining merely an enforcer of restrictive measures that are losing their effectiveness.