Europe to Join Ukraine Peace Talks in Abu DhabiWorld

The talks are scheduled for 10 and 11 November. US envoy Steve Witkoff said Washington would bring Ukrainian and Russian delegations together in Abu Dhabi to discuss ending the war, post-war security agreements and de-escalation.

Until now, the meeting had been presented as a trilateral negotiation at official level, bringing together Ukraine, Russia and the United States. The identities of the participants have not been made public, and the Kremlin has said its delegation will be led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has long argued that European allies should have a seat at the table, while Russia had suggested there would be no place for European representatives. Barrot said the Europeans had told the American mediators that no discussion about the continent’s future could ignore their expectations and demands. He said France would be there to ensure that Europe’s voice is heard.

Officials from the United States, Europe, Ukraine and NATO met in Brussels on Thursday to prepare for the Abu Dhabi talks, in a sign of the coordination under way before the delegations gather.

The dispute over Europe’s role reflects a wider disagreement about who should shape any settlement. European governments have argued that a deal on the continent’s security cannot be struck without them, while Moscow has favoured a narrower format. The announcement from Paris suggests Washington has accepted, at least for this round, that Europe will have a presence in Abu Dhabi.

Barrot said the Europeans had made clear to the American mediators that no discussion about the continent’s future could ignore their expectations and demands. With the war now in its fifth year, the question of who sits at the table has become almost as contested as the terms of any settlement itself, and Sunday’s announcement suggests Europe will not be left outside the room this time.