Europe to be represented at Abu Dhabi talks on Ukraine: France

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Sunday that European officials will take part in upcoming US-mediated negotiations with Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi, confirming continental participation in talks previously framed as a trilateral effort without Brussels' involvement.

Paris confirms role

Barrot told RTL radio that "the Europeans will be represented and France will be in Abu Dhabi to participate in these talks," adding that Paris would ensure Europe's voice is heard during the negotiations scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. His confirmation came after US President Donald Trump predicted a "very big" deal with Moscow involving not only the Ukraine war but "all of Europe," remarks that have stoked fears in Brussels and other capitals of a potential American pivot toward the Kremlin.

Expanding the format

Up to now, the Abu Dhabi discussions had been presented as a trilateral format at the official level involving only Ukraine, Russia and the United States, with Moscow previously suggesting there would be no place for European representatives at the table. Although Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has consistently pressed for allied involvement in the process, the specific identities of participants remain undisclosed.

Barrot noted that while past discussions occurred "sometimes without the Europeans and sometimes with," this round would include continental representation.

Brussels consultations

On Thursday, US, European, Ukrainian and NATO officials convened in Brussels ahead of the Abu Dhabi summit, seeking to advance what a NATO spokeswoman called a "just and sustainable end to the war in Ukraine." Jared Kushner, the US president's envoy and son-in-law, participated in the Brussels meeting by videolink, stating that Washington was working on "a broader European security architecture that can help establish the conditions for lasting peace."

The American approach is being treated warily by European allies, who rejected Moscow's 2022 ultimatum demanding NATO troop withdrawals from eastern Europe before the invasion began. Kushner said Washington will "consult closely with our European partners on the sidelines" of the Abu Dhabi talks and "if progress is made, aim to move toward a broader multilateral format with their direct participation."