Volodymyr Zelensky said he had coordinated his positions with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen ahead of the trilateral talks between Ukraine, the United States and Russia in Abu Dhabi. The meeting is scheduled for November 10 and 11, and will be hosted by the United States.
The conversation between Zelensky and von der Leyen focused on diplomatic efforts to achieve peace. According to the office of the Ukrainian president, the two also discussed the results of the meetings held in Brussels concerning European security guarantees and the plan for Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction.
“Ukraine is doing everything to ensure that the trilateral format delivers results,” Zelensky said.The Ukrainian president insists that European countries should participate in discussions on the security of the continent and the country’s future reconstruction. On November 5, he also discussed preparations for the meeting with European Council President António Costa, stressing that security guarantees and economic reconstruction cannot be negotiated without European participation.
EU to Send Joint Team to Abu Dhabi
“The EU will be present together with our partners,” Ursula von der Leyen said after her conversation with Zelensky, as quoted by Euronews. She said freedom of navigation in the Black Sea must be restored and preserved, and confirmed her support for the Ukrainian president’s call for a ceasefire covering food and energy infrastructure.
The European Union will be represented by a joint team from the European Commission and the European Council. It will include Björn Seibert, von der Leyen’s chief of staff, and Anna-Maria Bura, António Costa’s chief foreign policy adviser. France, Germany and the United Kingdom will send national security advisers, while NATO will be represented by the chief of staff to the Secretary General, Jeffrey van Luven.
There is still no confirmation as to whether the European representatives will hold direct talks with the Russian delegation. The possibility remains on the table, but the specific format will depend on how the meeting develops. The Russian delegation will be headed by Vladimir Medinsky, the Ukrainian delegation by Rustem Umerov, while the United States will be represented by special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Sources: euronews.com, apnews.com, pravda.com.ua