Europe joins Ukraine peace talks in Abu Dhabi as France confirms participation

Negotiations on a potential peace in Ukraine are set to begin Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirming that European representatives will participate, including France, in talks with Russia under US mediation. Barrot stated that Europeans have made clear to US mediators that discussions about the continent's future cannot bypass their demands, though he did not specify who will represent France. The talks mark the first meeting in this format since February, following President Trump's announcement of a "very large" agreement with Russia potentially affecting all of Europe. Germany's government said it is "closely involved" with European partners, while EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas insisted no peace deal should be concluded without EU states. Russian attacks continued ahead of the talks, leaving hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians without power.