NATO to Send Representative to Abu Dhabi Talks: Who Will Sit at the Table with Ukraine, the US, and Russia

The North Atlantic Alliance will take part in the upcoming peace talks in Abu Dhabi. According to information obtained by RBC-Ukraine from a NATO official on condition of anonymity, the Alliance will be represented by the Director of the Office of the Secretary General, Jeoffrey van Leeuwen. His presence at the November 10–11 meeting highlights that the issue of Ukraine and European security extends beyond purely bilateral or trilateral contacts and reaches the institutional level of NATO.

First Trilateral Meeting Since February

As announced by US President Donald Trump's special representative Steve Witkoff, the first trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the US, and Russia since February is scheduled for November 10 and 11 in Abu Dhabi as part of the negotiation process to end the war. According to him, the parties intend to discuss future security arrangements, de-escalation, humanitarian issues, and further steps toward achieving peace. Thus, the meeting becomes a key stage of the diplomatic track coordinated by the US.

Composition of the Delegations

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's team, according to an informed RBC-Ukraine source, has already determined the full composition of the Ukrainian delegation; an intelligence service analyst will also take part in the talks. According to available information, the Russian delegation will be led by Vladimir Medinsky, aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin; it will include the Head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff, Admiral Igor Kostyukov, Putin's aide Yury Ushakov, and Deputy Foreign Ministers Mikhail Galuzin and Sergey Ryabkov. These data have not yet been officially confirmed, which is important to consider when assessing the composition.

Europe at the Talks

European representatives also plan to arrive in Abu Dhabi. The European Union will send representatives of the European Commission and the Council of the EU: the European Commission will be represented by Ursula von der Leyen's Head of Cabinet Björn Seibert, and the Council of the EU by European Council President António Costa's chief foreign policy advisor Anna-Maria Бура (Anna-Maria Buра). Participation of national security advisors from France, Germany, and the UK is also expected. At the same time, it is unknown whether European representatives will be directly present in the negotiating room.

Discrepancies in Format and Agenda

The Russian side insists that the meeting in the UAE will take place in a trilateral format with the participation of Ukraine, Russia, and the US as a mediator. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that separate channels exist for communication with Americans and Europeans, but the upcoming talks in the UAE are scheduled precisely in a trilateral format. At the same time, according to reports, the American side seeks to expand the format, and European officials emphasize that the discussion of the continent's security system should follow the achievement of a truce. These discrepancies in approaches to the format and the sequence of the agenda may affect the course and results of the Abu Dhabi meeting.