PARIS: Europe will be represented at upcoming US-mediated talks with Moscow and Kyiv in Abu Dhabi aimed at ending the Ukraine war, France said on Sunday.

“The Europeans will be represented and France will be in Abu Dhabi to participate in these talks,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told RTL radio.

His comment came after President Donald Trump stoked fears of a US pivot toward the Kremlin by predicting a “very big” deal with Russia involving not only the Ukraine war but “all of Europe”. Up to now, the talks scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday had been framed as a trilateral format at the level of officials, not leaders, from Ukraine, Russia and the United States. The identities of who would take part have not been made public.

Although Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made it clear that he wants involvement from European allies in the process, Russia has suggested there would be no place for European representatives at the table. Barrot said that, in the past, “there have been discussions, sometimes without the Europeans and sometimes with” but “this time they will participate”.

He said: “France will be there and will ensure that Europe’s voice is heard.” On Thursday, US, European, Ukrainian and Nato officials met in Brussels ahead of the Abu Dhabi talks.

A Nato spokeswoman said they “sought to advance a just and sustainable end to the war in Ukraine”.

Jared Kushner, the US president’s envoy and son-in-law, participated in the Brussels meeting by videolink.

Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2026