French Foreign Minister: Europe also participates in Abu Dhabi war end talks
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barro says he will dispatch a delegation to reflect Europe's voice
Quick Look
- The French government announced that a European delegation will participate in the end-of-war talks between the United States, Russia, and Ukraine to be held in Abu Dhabi on the 10th and 11th.
- Europe is emphasizing its position that it should not be excluded from negotiations as a party to the war, but Russia is showing a negative attitude toward Europe's participation.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Europe has continued to demand participation in discussions on ending the war in Ukraine on the grounds that it is directly related to its security. Russia is drawing a line on Europe's participation in negotiations due to past failures to comply with the Minsk Agreement.
(Berlin = Yonhap News) Correspondent Kim Gye-yeon = The French government announced on the 8th that the European side will also participate in the end-of-war talks between the United States, Russia, and Ukraine to be held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the 10th to 11th (local time).
According to AFP, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barro told RTL on the same day, "Europe will send a delegation, and France will also go to Abu Dhabi to participate in the negotiations. We will make sure that Europe's voice is reflected."
“Discussions were conducted without Europe at times,” he said, adding, “We made it clear to the American mediators that any discussion about the future of this continent should not ignore our expectations and demands.”
Minister Baro did not reveal specifically who from the European or French side would participate in the negotiations. This war-end negotiation, the first meeting between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States as a mediator in nine months, is scheduled to be a working-level meeting. Euronews previously reported that the European Union (EU) was forming a delegation headed by Commission President's Chief of Staff Björn Seibert.
Europe has argued that it should not be excluded from discussions on ending the war on the grounds that the war in Ukraine has a significant impact on European security. Recently, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gar Steub attempted to have a conversation by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
However, it is unclear whether the European side will be able to participate directly in the negotiations.
Russia is drawing a line on end-of-war negotiations involving Europe, saying that Europe has not properly kept its promises for peace in Ukraine, including the Minsk Agreement in the past. Yuri Ushakov, a foreign policy adviser to the Crimean Palace, said on the 30th of last month, “They could buy a plane ticket and go (to Abu Dhabi), but no one is planning to invite them to the negotiating table.”
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Working-level war-end talks held in Abu Dhabi on the 10th and 11th
Very likely · Within days
Open Questions
- Whether European delegations will actually have a seat at the negotiating table
- Countermeasures if Russia continues to refuse European participation
