António Costa

António Costa has been President of the European Council since December 1, 2024. 

Costa is Portuguese of Indian descent: his father was a writer with Portuguese-Indian roots, and his mother is Portuguese. 

António Costa is a lawyer by training and practiced law. He has been interested in politics since his youth: at the age of 14 he joined the youth organization of the Socialist Party of Portugal. 

He then held various posts, building a political career. In 2015 he became Prime Minister of Portugal, and in 2023 he resigned. The resignation was linked to corruption concerning the concession of two lithium deposits in Montalegre and Covas do Barroso and a green hydrogen production project in Sines. It later turned out that it was not the prime minister who figured in the case, but his namesake, Economy Minister António Costa Silva. 

During the EU summit in June 2026, politicians discussed how the European Union would negotiate with Putin. But this concerns the future, as Moscow currently does not want to stop the war against Ukraine. 

Media reported that António Costa's office had established an indirect communication channel with Russia to involve Putin in ways of ending Russia's war against Ukraine. This position was criticized by France and Germany.

Costa himself confirmed that he was setting up a diplomatic channel through his office to convey to Russia his own messages. 

Read the latest news about changes in the political arena of Europe and the world, what policy António Costa pursues toward Russia, Ukraine and other states, and what his position is on the EU accession of Ukraine and Moldova.