France says Europe will take part in US-mediated Russia-Ukraine talks in Abu Dhabi

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on Sunday, 8 November 2026, that Europe will be represented at US-mediated talks on ending the war in Ukraine. He said France will take part.

The talks are set for Abu Dhabi on 10 and 11 November. Before Barrot's statement, they had been presented as a three-way format involving the United States, Russia and Ukraine. Russia had indicated there would be no role for European representatives.

"The Europeans will be represented and France will be in Abu Dhabi to participate in these talks," Barrot said, according to France 24. France 24 and The Hindu reported that he was speaking on RTL radio. He said "there have been discussions, sometimes without the Europeans and sometimes with," but "this time they will participate." NPR quoted him as saying: "France will be there and will ensure that Europe's voice is heard."

According to NPR, Barrot did not say who would represent France. He also did not say whether European officials would negotiate directly or only observe.

Background

According to France 24 and The Hindu, which carry near-identical text, US, European, Ukrainian and NATO officials met in Brussels on Thursday, 5 November. Jared Kushner, the US president's envoy and son-in-law, joined by videolink. Both outlets said the talks had been framed as being held at the level of officials, not leaders.

According to NPR, this will be the fourth round of Russia-Ukraine talks brokered by the Trump administration. It is the first since talks in Geneva in February. Earlier meetings made little progress. NPR reported that Russia's delegation will be led by Vladimir Medinsky.

What is disputed

France 24 and The Hindu, both published around 14:00 UTC on 8 November, said the identities of participants had not been made public. NPR, published later that day, named the members of Russia's delegation. A TASS headline that evening said Ukraine had named its negotiators. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include those names.

What each side says

• Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov ruled out a European role, saying the trilateral format had already been agreed, according to NPR. He acknowledged that security talks would at some point require Europe's involvement.
• Kushner said Washington would "consult closely with our European partners on the sidelines" and, "if progress is made, aim to move toward a broader multilateral format with their direct participation," according to France 24.
• US President Donald Trump said an expected deal with Russia was "going to involve more than Ukraine" and "might involve all of Europe," NPR reported.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he wants European involvement. According to NPR, he told CNN he had not been given details of the agreement Trump referenced. "For me, it's not simple, and it can be dangerous," NPR quoted him as saying.
• US envoy Steve Witkoff said the agenda will include postwar security arrangements, de-escalation and humanitarian issues, according to NPR.

Analysis

Barrot's statement leaves open how far European participation will go. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include a Kremlin or US response to it. Kushner's earlier description of consultations "on the sidelines" also differs from Barrot's wording. One possible scenario is a European presence limited to side consultations. Another is direct involvement, which Peskov had rejected for this format. Trump's remark that a deal could involve all of Europe may add to European interest in a seat. However, the reports do not describe the content of that deal. How the format is settled could influence whether these talks move beyond the limited progress of earlier rounds.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.