Kremlin says Europeans will be excluded from next Ukraine talks in Abu Dhabi

The Kremlin has said European countries will not be included in the next round of talks on Ukraine planned for Abu Dhabi. The comments come as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv wants Europe involved in the process and that trilateral talks with Russia and the United States are expected between November 6 and November 10 in the United Arab Emirates. The competing accounts underline continuing disagreement over who should take part in efforts to shape the next phase of diplomacy.

According to a Kremlin foreign policy aide, the issue of European participation was not discussed during a 90-minute phone call on Tuesday involving Russian President Vladimir Putin, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store. The aide, Yuri Ushakov, was quoted as saying that European countries would not be part of the Abu Dhabi round. Stubb gave a different account, telling a meeting of the Nordic Council in Helsinki that European countries would be involved in the November talks.

Zelenskyy made his remarks in the Netherlands after meeting Prime Minister Rob Jetten. He said Ukraine wanted Europe to be included and argued that unity and stronger pressure on Russia were needed. The Dutch government also announced fresh military and financial support for Kyiv, including an extra 500 million euros for military aid this winter to buy drones and other equipment to strengthen Ukraine's defences.

Zelenskyy is also due to meet King Willem-Alexander. The Dutch announcement added to a broader package of support. Earlier on Wednesday, the government said it would provide 1.2 billion euros over the next three years and contribute 40 million euros by the end of this year to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund.

Dutch minister for foreign trade and development cooperation Sjoerd Sjoerdsma said recovery and reconstruction could not wait for a ceasefire. He said Ukraine needed military support as well as social and economic assistance, and stressed the importance of keeping energy systems, hospitals and food production functioning. The dispute over the format of the talks matters because it goes to the centre of how any future settlement could be negotiated.

Russia has repeatedly sought to shape the terms of direct discussions with Ukraine and the United States, while European governments have argued that they should not be sidelined from decisions affecting security on the continent. The latest statements also show that diplomatic manoeuvring is continuing alongside new aid pledges for Kyiv, rather than replacing them. What remains unclear is whether the Abu Dhabi talks will go ahead on the dates Zelenskyy named and who, if anyone, will be present beyond Russian, Ukrainian and US representatives.

It is also not clear whether the differing public accounts from Moscow, Helsinki and Kyiv reflect a change in plans or a disagreement over the format. For now, the next developments to watch are any formal confirmation of the meeting structure and any further announcements on military or energy assistance for Ukraine.

#Ukraine #AbuDhabi #Kremlin #VolodymyrZelenskyy #EuropeanUnion