European representatives will take part in negotiations involving Russia, the United States and Ukraine in the United Arab Emirates, according to a statement from France's foreign ministry reported by Клопс - новости Калининград. The talks are set to take place in Abu Dhabi, the outlet reported on Sunday.
The French ministry's announcement confirms a European presence at the Emirati venue, though the reporting did not specify which European countries would attend or at what level.
On the Russian side, the delegation is expected to include Vladimir Medinsky, Sergei Ryabkov, Mikhail Galuzin, Kostyukov and Zhigarovsky, according to a list carried by Interfax and cited in the same reporting roundup. The Russian foreign ministry has also commented on the prospects for a negotiated settlement on Ukraine, though the details of that assessment were not included in the available material.
Coverage of the talks has focused on what the United States is preparing to bring to Abu Dhabi, with Radio Svoboda reporting on expectations ahead of the meeting under the headline "Everyone will be delighted." That framing was not elaborated on in the source summary.
The gathering would bring European, American, Russian and Ukrainian representatives into the same process in the Gulf state. The reporting did not give a start date for the negotiations or name the European officials involved.
What to watch next: whether the French foreign ministry or other European governments name their representatives, and whether the Russian delegation list is confirmed ahead of the Abu Dhabi session.
