Italy's Meloni warns Europe risks irrelevance in Ukraine peace talks

ROME, Nov 5 - Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Thursday Europe risked becoming irrelevant in any Ukraine peace negotiations unless it ends competing diplomatic initiatives and agrees on a single representative empowered to speak on its behalf.• In a letter to EU Council President Antonio Costa, Meloni says proliferation of different negotiating formats is making Europe less credible and giving the impression it is proceeding in "random order"• Says she is not seeking a place at the negotiating table for herself or Italy, but Rome will not accept commitments being negotiated without an EU mandate• Calls for EU leaders to decide who should represent the bloc in negotiations and what mandate that person should have• Asks for the issue to be discussed at an informal European Council in Dublin next week, with a formal decision to be taken at a December summit following coordination with Britain, Norway and other European partners REUTERS