France says Europeans will take part in Abu Dhabi Ukraine talks
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on Sunday that Europeans will be represented at the US-mediated Ukraine peace talks in Abu Dhabi. The talks are due on Tuesday and Wednesday.
- France will take part in the Abu Dhabi talks, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said.
- The US-mediated talks are due on Tuesday and Wednesday.
- Russia has suggested Europeans would have no place at the table.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on Sunday that France will take part in the upcoming Abu Dhabi talks on ending the war in Ukraine, and that Europeans will be represented there. The talks will be held under US mediation on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to France 24.
"The Europeans will be represented and France will be in Abu Dhabi to participate in these talks," Barrot said. He added: "France will be there and will ensure that Europe's voice is heard." Euronews quoted him as saying that no one would speak in Europe's name.
Until now, the talks had been framed as a trilateral format at the level of officials from Ukraine, Russia and the United States, rather than leaders. The identities of the participants have not been made public.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wants European allies to be involved in the process. Russia, however, has suggested there would be no place for European representatives at the table.
On Thursday, US, European, Ukrainian and NATO officials met in Brussels ahead of the Abu Dhabi talks. Jared Kushner, the US president's envoy, took part in that meeting by videolink.
Kushner said Washington will consult closely with European partners on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi talks. He said that if progress is made, the US aims to move toward a broader multilateral format with direct European participation, supporting "a broader European security architecture that can help establish the conditions for lasting peace".
President Donald Trump has predicted a very big deal with Russia covering the Ukraine war and all of Europe, according to France 24. Euronews also reported that Barrot accused presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon of echoing Kremlin propaganda.
Background
khabr.pk reported on 7 November that Russia struck Kyiv and nearby areas overnight ahead of the Abu Dhabi talks, and that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Moscow was trying to push Ukraine into a blackout.
Why it matters
The Russia-Ukraine war shapes global energy and food prices that reach Pakistan. khabr.pk recorded petrol at Rs346 per litre and high-speed diesel at Rs378 per litre on 7 November. Households and businesses in Pakistan feel such fuel costs directly.
