France Confirms European Participation in Abu Dhabi Ukraine Peace Talks as US Pushes for Agreement
PARIS, November 9, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) - France and other European countries will participate in US-mediated talks on Ukraine scheduled for November 10 and 11 in Abu Dhabi, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said, as Washington intensifies diplomatic efforts to secure an agreement ending Russia's war against Ukraine, Reuters reported.
Barrot confirmed France's participation during an interview with French radio station RTL on Sunday, although he did not identify who would represent Paris at the negotiations.
The discussions, organized by the United States, are expected to bring together Ukrainian and Russian delegations to address a potential peace settlement, post-war security arrangements and measures to reduce hostilities.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff announced the November 10–11 meeting last week, outlining plans for negotiations covering security guarantees, de-escalation and efforts to end the conflict.
The European participation comes as US President Donald Trump has expressed growing confidence that a settlement could be reached.
Speaking in an interview with CBS's 60 Minutes broadcast on Sunday, Trump suggested the conflict could end soon and indicated that a negotiated agreement might result in changes to Ukraine's territorial boundaries.
The president also dismissed suggestions that Russian President Vladimir Putin was deliberately delaying negotiations.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday that progress on potential security guarantees for Ukraine and the wider European continent could explain Trump's optimism.
Rubio emphasized that no final agreement had been reached, but said discussions had advanced on the structure of security arrangements that could follow an end to the war.
He identified the upcoming Abu Dhabi meeting, involving Witkoff and fellow US envoy Jared Kushner, as another opportunity to advance negotiations.
The talks follow consultations in Brussels on Thursday between American officials and representatives of Ukraine, NATO and European partners.
Kushner described those discussions as productive, with participants examining possible security guarantees for Ukraine and the broader framework for European security after the conflict.
European participation in Abu Dhabi places France and other regional partners within the diplomatic process as Washington seeks an agreement involving Moscow and Kyiv.
The negotiations are scheduled to begin on Tuesday, with the terms of any potential settlement and the future security arrangements for Ukraine remaining unresolved.
Sources: Reuters
