Russia excludes European officials from talks with Ukraine, despite statements by France and the European Commission

Russia has announced that European officials will not participate in the trilateral negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi with the mediation of the United States. The statement was made by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, amid claims by France and the European Commission that Europe will be represented at the meeting.

“What will take place in Abu Dhabi in the coming days will be trilateral negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, with the mediation of the United States,” Peskov said. He specified that Moscow does not expect European officials to be present at the negotiating table, arguing that the United States and Ukraine have their own communication channels with representatives of Europe.

The Kremlin’s position contradicts statements recently made by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. He had stated that representatives of France would participate in the meeting at which the end of the war in Ukraine, postwar security agreements, and de-escalation measures are to be discussed.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also said that the European Union “will be present” at the negotiations organized by the United States in Abu Dhabi. At this point, it remains unclear whether the Europeans will participate directly in the discussions or whether they will be consulted separately.