Zelensky is coordinating with the European Union ahead of upcoming talks with Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Monday that he held talks with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to coordinate positions with the European Union, ahead of US-brokered talks with Russia scheduled for this week in Abu Dhabi, according to what was reported by Agence France-Presse.

European powers are intensifying their diplomatic efforts to ensure that any settlement of the Russian war on Ukraine is fair to Kiev, and to avoid Washington providing new security guarantees to Moscow without consulting the Europeans.

Zelensky said on the “X” platform: “Ursula (von der Leyen) and I also coordinated our positions regarding the meeting in Abu Dhabi. We are doing everything in our power to ensure that the tripartite talks lead to results.”

In turn, the President of the European Commission confirmed via social media following the conversation that “the European Union will be present alongside our partners” in the Abu Dhabi talks scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, echoing statements made by the French Foreign Minister over the weekend.

A European Union official told Agence France-Presse that national security officials from the European Union, NATO, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom will be present in Abu Dhabi, although the nature of their participation is not yet clear.

He added: “We will know the exact formulas when we get there.”

On the other hand, Russian presidential (Kremlin) spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced today (Monday) that the upcoming talks in the Emirati capital, Abu Dhabi, regarding the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict, will be held with the participation of the delegations of Russia and Ukraine and with American mediation, without the participation of representatives of European countries, according to the German News Agency.

Peskov told reporters: “What will happen in Abu Dhabi in the coming days are tripartite talks between Russia and Ukraine, mediated by the United States. As for the presence of the Europeans, you know that the Americans have their own channels of communication with the Europeans, and the Ukrainians with the Europeans, and it seems that they are already building their own coordination mechanism, but I repeat again: we are talking about tripartite talks,” according to what the Russian “Sputnik” news agency reported.

He explained that Moscow would not publicly discuss models for future security negotiations.

“With regard to the shape of Ukraine, it is a different country geographically,” Peskov noted. “The facts on the ground are clear, and no one is likely to deny them.”

Regarding the APEC summit (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum) on November 18 and 19 in China, Peskov indicated that the countries are exchanging views on the agenda of a possible meeting of the presidents: Russian Vladimir Putin, Chinese Xi Jinping, and American Donald Trump, at the summit.

“There could be a variety of questions,” Peskov said. Anyway, the meeting will be really interesting. "And of course, it will attract everyone's attention in the world."

Peskov continued: “There is an exchange of proposals on a possible agenda for the meeting. The parties exchange views on this issue.”

Trump raised fears of an American rapprochement with the Kremlin, after he expected to reach a “very large” agreement with Russia, which does not only include Ukraine. Rather, “all of Europe.”

The statements of Trump's envoy and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, increased European concern, after he said that Washington was working on a "broader European security architecture that could help create the conditions for achieving lasting peace" in Ukraine.

Kushner participated via video last week in a meeting in Brussels, which included European, Ukrainian and NATO officials, and said that Washington would consult with its European partners “on the sidelines” of the Abu Dhabi talks.

European allies have long rejected Moscow's efforts to reshape the European security architecture.

Before launching war on Ukraine in 2022, the Kremlin issued an ultimatum to NATO, which included a demand to withdraw NATO forces from Eastern Europe.

Teddy Renner, winner of five Olympic gold medals in judo and still competing in this sport, announced his candidacy for the presidency of France in order to succeed Emmanuel Macron in the 2027 elections, according to a video clip he posted today (Monday) on social media.

“My name is Teddy Renner, and today I tell you face to face, I am a candidate for the 2027 presidential elections,” the 37-year-old said, sitting in front of a library, wearing a white shirt and a dark jacket, adding: “The struggle has always been a part of me.” I know what it means to fight, to fall, to always get up.”

Renner is considered the greatest judoka in the history of the game in his country, the most decorated in this sport in general in the history of the Olympic Games (5 titles, including 3 in singles), the most medal winner (5 gold and 2 bronze), and the most decorated French Olympic athlete in the Summer Games after he won two golds in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Renner has 12 world championship titles on his record, and 5 European championship titles, in addition to several other titles, making him one of the greatest people to play this sport.

Renner acknowledged that his candidacy might raise eyebrows, saying: “I know what will be said about me: He is crazy, he is not a member of the establishment, he does not possess its symbols, and he has never practiced politics. But ask yourselves with me: What seems crazy today? “I have not spent my life behind a political platform, but the struggle has always been a part of me.”

Renner launched his political party today, under the name “The France We Want.” “I'm not just a judoka,” he said. I refuse to be reduced to the status of a hero or an athlete whose role is limited to climbing to the podium, without having an opinion on anything else.”

He explained that this decision, which he took after deep thought, dates back to the period of the Olympic Games in Paris in the summer of 2024, saying: “I saw an entire country uniting, proud and happy... and I said to myself: If we succeed in achieving this throughout 15 days (the duration of the Games), we must be able to achieve it for the sake of the country.”

In a lengthy interview with Le Parisien newspaper, the French giant, who at the 2024 Paris Olympics became the first judoka to win three Olympic golds in the heavyweight category, explained that he intends to continue his sporting career and even participate in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics: “If the duties of the position allow me to do so and if the French agree to that.”

Although he admitted that “there are already many candidates,” Renner affirmed his determination to “go until the end,” adding that “I would not have undertaken this initiative” if he did not believe that he had “every chance” to succeed.

The judo player, who says he belongs neither to the right nor to the left, stressed that “the only danger I see today is surrendering to a choice between only two possibilities, which are the two extremes,” referring to the “National Rally” party and the “Proud France” party.