Disagreement over Europe’s participation in Ukraine peace talks in Abu Dhabi has raised questions about whether Washington and Moscow could negotiate broader security arrangements without full European involvement. The dispute comes as President Donald Trump signals possible changes to Ukraine’s borders and considers meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss wider international security issues.
Negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States are scheduled between November 10 and 11 in the United Arab Emirates, focusing on ending the war and establishing postwar security guarantees. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union would be present alongside its partners, while France also announced its participation. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov insisted the negotiations would remain trilateral, with separate channels for European consultations. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also argued that Europeans had no place at the negotiating table, citing planned military exercises by a European-led coalition.
“What is set to take place in Abu Dhabi are trilateral negotiations between Russia and Ukraine under the mediation of the United States,” Peskov said. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged progress on possible postwar security arrangements but cautioned that “nothing’s been finalized yet, and maybe some progress can be made in Abu Dhabi.” German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul insisted that Europe “must have a place at the table.”
The diplomatic disagreement coincides with Trump’s suggestion that a peace settlement could leave Ukraine with altered borders. Trump has also said he expects to meet Putin and Xi at the November 18–19 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in China, potentially discussing the Iran war and nuclear arms control. Putin has proposed using a trilateral meeting to address Ukraine. Meanwhile, G7 foreign ministers meeting in Paris are pressing Washington to protect Ukraine’s interests and prevent renewed military escalation with Iran, as Rubio reports little progress in negotiations with Tehran.
Together, these developments raise the possibility of Ukraine’s future being discussed within a wider U.S.–Russia–China diplomatic framework. Whether Washington might seek Russian and Chinese cooperation on Iran in exchange for concessions affecting Ukraine remains unsubstantiated, and no such bargain has been confirmed. Nevertheless, the dispute over European participation in Abu Dhabi highlights a central political question: whether Kyiv and its European partners will retain meaningful influence over any agreement that reshapes Ukraine’s borders and the continent’s security arrangements. (AFP+EIR)
