Abu Dhabi talks to focus on post-war security guarantees for Ukraine

Post-war security guarantees and the broader architecture of European defence take centre stage as international delegations gather for high-stakes negotiations.

US-mediated peace talks between Russia and Ukraine are set to begin on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, following developments on the ground and sharp disagreements over who should sit at the table.

Media additions

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said some progress had been made on what the security infrastructure of Ukraine and Europe could look like after the conflict. Speaking to reporters ahead of travel to Paris for meetings with G7 foreign ministers, Rubio stated that the need for security guarantees had repeatedly emerged during discussions. US President Donald Trump told CBS programme "60 Minutes" that he believed the war would end soon and suggested Ukraine could emerge from a settlement with altered borders. Trump's envoy Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff will represent the United States in the United Arab Emirates.

The diplomatic push follows productive discussions held in Brussels involving Ukrainian, NATO, and European partners. Yet the inclusion of European powers has proven contentious. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov had earlier ruled out a European role, arguing that a trilateral format involving Washington, Moscow, and Kyiv had already been agreed and accusing European governments of failing to decide who speaks for them. Despite initial Kremlin objections, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced on French radio station RTL that European nations would be well represented and that France would take part in the discussions to ensure Europe's voice is heard.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed caution regarding broader agreements hinted at by Washington, invoking the historical precedent of the Yalta conference where Allied leaders settled Europe's division without affected countries. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni urged European Council President António Costa to organise the EU's participation to defend European interests, a call echoed by Costa, who stressed that the European Union's presence must be structured to convey a clear and unified message.

Military delegations participating in the upcoming discussions reflect a shift in seniority. According to reports cited by Interfax and The Jerusalem Post, the Russian delegation will be headed once again by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky and will include high-level diplomats and military officials.

Delegation / Official	Represented Entity	Stated Role or Position
Steve Witkoff & Jared Kushner	United States	US Envoys and mediation leadership
Vladimir Medinsky	Russia	Chief negotiator and presidential aide
Jean-Noël Barrot	France / Europe	Foreign Minister confirming European participation
Volodymyr Zelenskyy	Ukraine	President emphasizing security guarantees and cautious of outside deals

Meanwhile, the conflict on the ground continues unabated. Energoatom reported that the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station lost its external electricity supply before power was restored, marking the plant's 27th such outage since the beginning of the conflict according to The Guardian (while RFE/RL noted it as the 16th case of complete external power loss since the beginning of 2026).

Broader regional dynamics are shifting in parallel. Moldova launched a new power line connecting the country to Romania and the European grid to eliminate its reliance on Russian energy. President Maia Sandu noted on X that the former Soviet republic buys zero Russian gas.

What to Watch Next

• The opening of the Abu Dhabi peace talks scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.
• Clarification on the exact format and personnel representing European nations alongside US mediators.
• Further developments regarding post-war security architectures and potential trilateral summits later in the month.

For related background, read our World coverage or explore reports on the US mediation efforts in Abu Dhabi.