The tripartite talks on the war in Ukraine in Abu Dhabi this week will take place without the EU participating as an equal partner. National security advisers from France, Germany and the UK will represent Europe.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov says that the EU will not participate on an equal footing. Peskov says that both Kyiv and Washington have their own channels of communication with the Europeans. This appears to be confirmed by both Zelenskyy and Ursula von der Leyen.
Meanwhile, on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he had coordinated his positions with Europe and the EU ahead of the talks,
“Ursula von der Leyen and I have also coordinated our positions with a view to the meeting in Abu Dhabi. We are doing everything we can to ensure that the trilateral format delivers results,” he says.
Von der Leyen said that, amongst other things, the two discussed a ceasefire that would halt attacks on food and energy infrastructure, something she supports.
– “I reiterated my support for his call for a ceasefire that includes food and energy infrastructure,” says von der Leyen in a written statement.
She also endorses the French statements that Europe will have a “strong presence” at the meeting.
“We also discussed the ongoing peace efforts and the negotiations in Abu Dhabi this week, where the EU will be present alongside our partners,” she said, without naming who would represent the EU. (NTB)
Politico reports that national security advisers from France, Germany and the UK will be present.
If the Europeans have resigned themselves to standing on the sidelines, it will be a national humiliation.
