France will be represented at the Ukraine talks in Abu Dhabi, where a meeting of Ukrainian, American and Russian delegations is scheduled for 10–11 November. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated this on 8 November in an interview with RTL.
At the same time, Russia is raising the level of its negotiating team. Bloomberg views its composition as a possible signal of Moscow's readiness for more substantive talks after several months of diplomatic deadlock. According to the agency's assessment, the participation of senior diplomats and military officials allows for more focused discussion of political issues and the situation on the battlefield.
The composition of the Russian delegation was confirmed on 7 November by Dmitry Peskov in a comment to Interfax. It will again be led by Vladimir Putin's aide Vladimir Medinsky. The team will also include Deputy Foreign Ministers Sergei Ryabkov and Mikhail Galuzin, head of military intelligence Igor Kostyukov, and deputy chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff Yuri Zhigarlovsky.
As Reuters specifies, Ryabkov will join these talks for the first time. He oversees Russia's relations with the US and arms control issues. Galuzin and Kostyukov have participated in previous rounds, so it would be inaccurate to say that senior diplomats and military officials are included in the team for the first time in the history of the talks.
Assessments of Moscow's intentions differ. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) recalls that several of the appointed negotiators have previously dragged out dialogue and advocated for Kremlin's maximalist demands. Analysts do not consider the updated composition as confirmation of Russia's readiness for bona fide negotiations.
The upcoming round was announced on 2 November by US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. Among the stated topics are ending the war, post-war security arrangements, de-escalation, and humanitarian measures, Reuters reported.
Barrot stated that Paris intends to convey the European position: in his words, discussions about the future of the continent must take into account the expectations and demands of European countries. The minister has not yet named France's representative or specified the format of their participation.
According to AFP, American negotiator Jared Kushner previously mentioned consultations with European partners on the sidelines of the meeting. He linked expanding the overall negotiation format with their direct participation to achieving progress.
Based on materials from: RTL, Bloomberg, Interfax, Reuters, ISW, AFP.
