Aditya DidwaniyaUS special envoy Jared Kushner says European countries need a real seat in the Ukraine peace talks, after trilateral talks wrapped up in Abu Dhabi.
European countries need to join the Ukraine peace talks. That is the message from Jared Kushner, special representative of the US president.
Washington Wants Europe In The Room
“We need to have the Europeans at the table,” Kushner told Politico after a meeting in Abu Dhabi. He made the comment right after the latest round of discussions wrapped up.
A Single European Voice Would Help
Kushner said the US has told Russia many times that bringing the EU into the Ukraine peace talks is the only real way to get results. “If Europe could choose one person to speak on its behalf, that would be a bigger achievement than convincing the Russians to include Europeans in the talks,” he added.
Putin To Meet Kushner And Witkoff Today
Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet Kushner and White House special envoy Steve Witkoff later today. The meeting follows two days of intense diplomacy in the Gulf.
Abu Dhabi Talks Brought Sides Closer
Trilateral consultations between officials from Moscow, Washington and Kyiv took place in Abu Dhabi on November 10 and 11. Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation, said the sides moved closer to peace. He added that much now depends on every party involved.
Medinsky said the main topic at the meeting was Europe’s future security setup once the war ends. The two sides also discussed humanitarian issues. Russia and Ukraine agreed on a large new prisoner exchange, with details expected soon.
Europe Watched But Did Not Join In
European officials were present on the sidelines of the Ukraine peace talks but did not take an active part. Medinsky said the EU would be allowed into the peace process once its members find their conscience.
Akshay Didwaniya
Pratik Agrawal
Mayur Mohta