Europe excluded from Ukraine-Russia talks in Abu Dhabi

Russia and Ukraine have agreed to participate in trilateral negotiations with the United States, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday in Abu Dhabi, marking the first such talks since February. The discussions will focus on security guarantees to end the nearly five-year conflict, with European nations excluded from the negotiating table. The talks, organized by US envoy Steve Witkoff following his October 20-21 visits to Oslo and St. Petersburg, prioritize regional security architecture over a ceasefire, a position favored by Moscow over Kyiv's demands for a prior truce. Ukrainian officials face pressure from winter's approach and the Washington-Moscow rapprochement, while European leaders, including French diplomatic adviser Emmanuel Bonne, will travel to the UAE but cannot attend the trilateral sessions. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the talks will address post-war security architecture for Ukraine and Europe, though he noted nothing has been finalized. Analysts warn the exclusion of European chancelleries isolates Ukraine, with concerns that financial interests in Russian raw materials and rare earths may drive the negotiations, while Russia continues intensifying airstrikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.