Change of Plans: European Leaders Behind Schedule After Long Night in Minsk

Several European leaders had to change their schedule for Thursday, following the overnight talks on Ukrainian reconciliation at the presidential palace in Minsk.

After more than 16 grueling hours of negotiations in the Belarusian capital of Minsk, participants of the Contact Group on Ukrainian reconciliation have finally reached a verbal agreement to finally settle the Ukrainian crisis; however, after the overnight diplomatic marathon, several European leaders had to change their schedule for Thursday.

Donald Tusk, president of the European Council (EC), wrote on his twitter account that the EC informal meeting in Brussels will start later than scheduled, since Tusk was locked in the Minsk presidential palace for the negotiations. Earlier, members of the EC were scheduled to meet at 1 p.m. to discuss important issues that the EU is currently facing: the fight against terrorism, the situation in Ukraine and relations with Russia, as well as economic problems in the Eurozone area.

Leaders are now arriving at #EUCO, but they will have some time to kill before its delayed start at 3pm. Watch live: http://t.co/pWo2EQVN6W

— European Voice (@EuropeanVoiceEV) 12 февраля 2015

And Germany’s top diplomat Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier reportedly had to postpone his trip to Brazil, because of the overnight talks in Belarus.

#MinskSummit: Somebody, please let Steinmeier go! He needs to be halfway to Brazil already!

— Yury Barmin (@yurybarmin) 12 февраля 2015

France’s Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian were scheduled to meet their British colleague Philip Hammond over a cup of tea in London later on Thursday; however, since Fabius had to pull an all-nighter in Minsk, the Anglo-French meeting had to be postponed.

However, the delay of the EC meeting could be a blessing in disguise for Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who now will have an opportunity to meet tête-a-tête with other European leaders, including Belgian premier Charles Michel, Latvia’s Laimdota Straujuma and Britain’s David Cameron, and try to find their support on the sidelines, as Greece is trying to reach a deal with its creditors.

Having had the overnight meeting that lasted over 16 hours and resulted in the change of their work plans for Thursday, European leaders showed the seriousness of their intentions and willingness to come up with a peace agreement during the reconciliation talks in Minsk. Quite literally, the Ukrainian crisis has been on the top of everyone’s agenda and everything else would have to wait.