--- title: "German Foreign Minister: Europe's involvement in Ukraine talks is inevitable" description: "German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stated after the G7 meeting in Paris that Europe's participation in Ukraine negotiations is inevitable and urged including the continent in the next round in the UAE." date: 2026-11-10T17:48:44.382Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/wadephul-europe-ukraine-talks-inevitable tags: [germany, europe, ukraine, negotiations, g7, foreign-policy] author: "Alexander Buran" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # German Foreign Minister: Europe's involvement in Ukraine talks is inevitable ## Key Points - German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stated after the Paris G7 that Europe's participation in Ukraine talks is inevitable. - Wadephul called it a "reasonable intermediate step" that Europe was merely informed in Abu Dhabi and not invited to the negotiating table. - Berlin proposes the "E3" format (Germany, France, UK) plus Italy; the matter will be discussed at the EU summit in Dublin. - Germany confirmed continued aid to Ukraine through 2027 and accused Russia of striking civilian infrastructure. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, following the first day of tripartite negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and the USA in Abu Dhabi, has once again called for ensuring Europe's participation in the ongoing settlement process. The statement was made following the G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Paris on Tuesday, November 10, and solidified Berlin's position, which views the presence of European delegations at the negotiating table not as an option, but as a necessity. ### "Not entirely satisfied" Wadephul admitted that he is "not entirely satisfied" with how the European side was represented during the current round: they were merely informed about events but were not invited to participate in the meeting with the Russian delegation. However, the minister called the situation a "reasonable intermediate step," emphasizing that he understood that achieving full European participation in the first stage would not have been possible. "I am firmly convinced that this will become possible in the future," he declared, adding that the sooner this happens, the more effective the negotiations will be. ### Why participation is inevitable According to the German Foreign Minister, Europe's involvement in the negotiation process is driven by several issues that cannot be resolved without its direct participation: security guarantees for Ukraine, its potential EU membership, and the prospects for future sanctions relief. Furthermore, Wadephul pointed out that the presence of Europeans serves as an indicator of how seriously Russia treats the negotiations. The representation format, in his opinion, is less important than the fact of participation itself: Berlin considers it expedient to use the "E3" configuration — Germany, France, and the UK — with the addition of Italy, while keeping the other EU member states informed in a timely manner. ### Who will speak on behalf of Europe The question of who exactly will represent the European side remains to be discussed at the level of EU heads of state and government: President of the European Council António Costa announced that he would raise this issue at the meeting in Dublin at the end of the week. In Abu Dhabi itself, Germany was represented by Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s foreign policy and security advisor, Günter Sautter, who, like other European representatives, did not sit directly at the negotiating table. ### G7 unity and a warning to Moscow Summing up the Paris meeting, Wadephul emphasized the "unity of Western democracies in providing assistance to Ukraine" and stated that the joint final communiqué confirms "unwavering support for Ukraine and its courageous people." Germany, he said, will continue to provide aid to Kyiv in 2027 and urges partners to "do even more through joint efforts." The minister also accused Russia of continuing to strike civilian infrastructure while diplomats search for a solution, warning that if the West turns away from Ukraine, it will push Moscow toward new aggressive wars. In this regard, G7 countries intend to strengthen resilience against sabotage, cyberattacks, and other hybrid threats, and expand international cooperation. Berlin's position diverges from several assessments emerging from Moscow. Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov previously noted that Europe's potential participation in the UAE talks "cannot be ruled out," whereas Russian political scientist Sergey Fyodorov, on the contrary, believes EU involvement is harmful to the peace process and suggests that Europe is better off staying behind the scenes. Thus, the question of the format and composition of the next round remains one of the key points to be settled before the next stage of negotiations. ## Accounts differ ### The necessity of Europe's involvement in Ukraine negotiations - **German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul:** Europe's participation in negotiations is inevitable and necessary for discussing security guarantees, potential EU membership, and sanctions relief ([dw.com](https://www.dw.com/ru/vadeful-ucastie-evropy-v-peregovorah-po-ukraine-neizbezno/a-79911096)) - **Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov:** Potential European participation in Ukraine talks in the UAE cannot be ruled out ([m24.ru](https://www.m24.ru/news/23102026/956088)) - **Political Scientist Sergey Fyodorov (RAS Institute of Europe):** EU participation in the talks may harm the peace process; it is better for Europe to remain behind the scenes ([life.ru](https://life.ru/p/demoniziruyut-rossiyu-pochemu-es-nelzya-dopuskat-do-peregovorov-po-ukraine)) *Where they agree:* The first round of negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and the USA took place in Abu Dhabi without direct European participation at the table ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Участие Европы в переговорах по Украине неизбежно, считает глава МИД Германии Йоханн Вадефуль](https://www.dw.com/ru/vadeful-ucastie-evropy-v-peregovorah-po-ukraine-neizbezno/a-79911096) - Source: Wadephul's statements after G7 in Paris 10.11.2026, E3+Italy format, Sautter's role in Abu Dhabi, Costa's position and Dublin. - [Песков: нельзя исключать возможное участие Европы в переговорах по Украине в ОАЭ](https://www.m24.ru/news/23102026/956088) - Context: Peskov's stance on not ruling out European participation; tripartite format in Abu Dhabi in the first half of November. - [Политолог Фёдоров считает участие ЕС в переговорах по Украине вредным для мира](https://life.ru/p/demoniziruyut-rossiyu-pochemu-es-nelzya-dopuskat-do-peregovorov-po-ukraine) - Context: political scientist S. Fyodorov's assessment on EU participation; Costa's statement on non-competition with US initiatives. ## FAQ ### Why did Germany not participate directly in the Abu Dhabi talks? According to Wadephul, achieving full European participation was not possible in the first stage; Germany was represented by advisor Günter Sautter, who did not sit at the negotiating table. The minister called this a "reasonable intermediate step." ### What European representation format does Berlin propose? Wadephul considers the "E3" format—Germany, France, and the UK—plus Italy to be expedient, provided other EU states are kept informed. The issue will be discussed at the EU summit in Dublin. ### What did Germany say about future support for Ukraine? Berlin confirmed it will continue to provide aid to Ukraine in 2027 and urged G7 partners to "do even more through joint efforts."