The key facts
- Talks between Russia, the US and Ukraine began on November 10 in Abu Dhabi and are scheduled for two days
- European representatives are not participating in the trilateral format, but Kyiv has begun separate consultations with them
- Maria Zakharova called the Europeans' arrival a “promo stunt” and suggested it was information support for Ukraine
Trilateral talks and Europe's presence
On November 10, talks between Russia, the United States and Ukraine began in Abu Dhabi, scheduled to last two days. The Russian delegation is led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, the Ukrainian delegation by National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov, while Washington's interests are represented by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. European representatives are not taking part in this trilateral format directly, but their presence in the UAE capital has become a separate topic of discussion.
Zakharova's reaction and Kyiv's consultations
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, in an interview with journalist of the Vesti news service , suggested that the European delegations had come to the UAE to provide information support for the Ukrainian side. “Apparently, they bought tickets. They will sit it out in a hotel. Why are they doing this?... It would be great to ask them, and even more interesting to hear the answer... No one can forbid them to do it. Apparently, it's some kind of promo stunt,” she said. This is her personal assessment: the purpose of the Europeans' visit has not been confirmed in the publication.
What is known about the Europeans' plans
The day before, on November 9, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed the EU's plans to send its representatives to Abu Dhabi: it was expected that they would stay near the venue of the talks but not at the main table. Already on the morning of November 10, Rustem Umerov announced the start of separate consultations by the Ukrainian delegation with representatives of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, NATO and the European Commission — according to him, Kyiv intends to coordinate further actions with Western partners ahead of the trilateral discussions. Thus, the European presence has a confirmed practical side — coordination with the Ukrainian delegation — whereas Zakharova's assessment reflects the position of the Russian Foreign Ministry, not an established fact.
