Europe to participate in Abu Dhabi peace talks, French foreign minister says
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Europe will join the upcoming U.S.-mediated peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian representatives, said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot during an interview with RTL on Nov. 8.
"The Europeans will be well represented, and France will be in Abu Dhabi to take part in these discussions. I cannot yet tell you who will represent France on this occasion, but it will certainly be there," Barrot said.
European participation and influence in negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow have been limited so far. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has expressed the need for a dedicated EU envoy for the peace talks to prevent "condemning Europe to irrelevance."
Meloni's call received support from Antonio Costa, President of the European Council.
"The European Union's participation must be organized in a manner that enables it to convey a clear and unified message, to defend its interests, and to support Ukraine," Costa wrote on Nov. 6 in response to Meloni.
Europe's representation at the negotiation table has varied, as some countries, such as France and Germany, send representatives of their own, while in other instances the European Commission represents the region's interests.
When asked about U.S. President Donald Trump's nod to a "big beautiful agreement," Barrot said he wasn't familiar with any details.
"It goes without saying that no agreement with consequences for the European security architecture could be conceived, or even discussed, without the Europeans' involvement," he added.
Ukraine has been supportive of the idea of Europeans' involvement in peace negotiations. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Nov. 6 that "issues concerning Europe's security must be discussed with the participation of European nations, all of which equally deserve guaranteed security."
Peace talks are planned to take place in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 10-11, with the Kremlin saying it will send senior diplomats and military officials.
