The Kremlin said on Monday 9 November 2026 that Europe will have no role in this week's US-mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi, hours after France insisted European officials would be there anyway.

The talks, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, 10 and 11 November, were announced by US envoy Steve Witkoff as a trilateral format bringing together delegations from Washington, Moscow and Kyiv to discuss ending the war, post-war security arrangements and de-escalation.

Paris insists France will be there

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told French radio station RTL on Sunday that Europeans would take part. "The Europeans will be well represented. France will be in Abu Dhabi to take part," he said, adding: "France will be there and will ensure that Europe's voice is heard."

Barrot did not say who would represent France, nor whether European officials would join the negotiations directly or take part in a different capacity. "I can't tell you yet who will be representing France on this occasion, but France will certainly be there," he said.

Kremlin: trilateral format already agreed

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected that on Monday, telling reporters the talks were "a matter of trilateral negotiations" between Russia, Ukraine and the United States as mediator. He said the format had already been agreed and pointed to "separate communication channels" through which Europe could talk to Ukraine and the United States.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen issued a statement the same day saying: "The EU will be present alongside our partners." Rustem Umerov, who is heading Kyiv's delegation, said European officials would hold "separate coordination" with the Ukrainians in Abu Dhabi, and that Italy would also be at the table.

Kallas: Russia is pretending to negotiate

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, speaking at the G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Paris, was blunt about Moscow's intentions. "We have not seen any concrete signs from Russia indicating a willingness to negotiate in good faith," she said. "So far they have just been pretending that they negotiate because we haven't seen any goodwill from the Russian side."

US envoy Jared Kushner said he and Witkoff would hold separate talks with the EU and several European countries ahead of the trilateral sessions. Writing on X, he said they would meet "partners from Ukraine, the EU, NATO, Germany, France, the UK and Italy to continue our deliberations and coordination" on European security and Ukraine's post-war future.

Fourth round under Trump

The Abu Dhabi meeting will be the fourth round of US-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine under the Trump administration, with the previous session held in Geneva in February. Russia's delegation will be led by Vladimir Medinsky and includes military intelligence chief Igor Kostyukov and deputy foreign ministers Mikhail Galuzin and Sergei Ryabkov.

Whether European officials end up in the room, observing from the sidelines or coordinating separately, the dispute over their role has become the first test of the talks before they have even begun. The EU leaders' summit on 13 November is due to take up the question of who speaks for the bloc.