European representatives will take part in the next round of negotiations to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced this after a meeting in Dublin with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
“At the next meeting, Europe will be part of the negotiations; there will be a negotiating team, rather than participation in some other way or separately. They will have a voice,” Zelensky said, as quoted by the Associated Press.
According to Steve Witkoff, the Europeans will join the next meeting. He did not specify which countries would participate or whether Europe would be represented by a single representative or by several national delegations.
The meeting in Dublin after talks in Moscow
Witkoff and Kushner arrived in Ireland after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Their conversation with him lasted about two hours, while the meeting with Zelensky in Dublin lasted more than an hour.
The U.S. representatives discussed with Putin the possibility of involving Europe in the negotiating process. They then briefed Zelensky on the results of the talks in the Kremlin and continued discussing the future format.
Kushner said the talks with Putin had been detailed and had covered issues related to the future security of Russia, Ukraine and Europe.
European participation has yet to be determined
The first direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian representatives in nine months were held in Abu Dhabi on November 10 and 11. The meeting was organized with the mediation of the United States, but did not lead to a major breakthrough toward ending the war.
The main result was an agreement on a large-scale exchange of prisoners of war, the exact number of whom has not yet been announced. European advisers took part in separate talks in Abu Dhabi, but were not part of the main format involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States.
European countries have yet to agree on who will represent them. European Council President António Costa and EU High Representative Kaja Kallas are among the options being discussed, while France and Germany are insisting on a more active role for the major European countries.
Zelensky has asked for a joint European representative to be appointed by the end of November. EU leaders are expected to discuss the issue in Dublin.
Moscow sets conditions
Russia did not unequivocally confirm that it had accepted European participation in the negotiations. Putin’s adviser Yuri Ushakov said European countries must choose between peace and continuing military support for Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Europe must first name its representative. Moscow regards deliveries of weapons and ammunition to Ukraine as proof that European countries are a party to the conflict.
The next round of negotiations is scheduled for next week, but the exact date, location and composition of the participants have not yet been announced.
Sources: apnews.com, euronews.com, kyivindependent.com