Europeans to join next Ukraine-Russia peace talks, Zelensky says after Abu Dhabi meeting

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Thursday that European representatives will participate in the next round of peace negotiations with Russia, following trilateral talks with US envoys in Abu Dhabi, though no date or location has been set. The inclusion addresses requests from Kyiv and Washington, which viewed European participation as essential. US envoy Jared Kushner stated "we cannot close this deal without Europeans at the negotiating table," while Zelensky emphasized Europeans will have a voice, not just observer status. The announcement follows a prisoner exchange described as the largest since the war began, though no breakthrough on core issues occurred. Russia maintains demands including recognition of conquered territories and Ukrainian neutrality, while European leaders remain divided over who should represent them at future talks.