US envoys return to UAE as G7 ministers demand European seat at peace table
Diplomats in Paris and Abu Dhabi work parallel tracks to revive stalled negotiations, with European leaders pressing for inclusion despite Russian opposition.
By Rebecca Svoboda ·
U.S. and G7 diplomats split between Paris and Abu Dhabi on Tuesday to push for a renewed path toward ending the war in Ukraine. The two-track approach aims to reconcile competing demands from European capitals and Moscow regarding who controls the negotiation process.
In Paris, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio before joining the full Group of 7 delegation. The ministers discussed defense and security aid, a topic of tension after the Trump administration cut support levels. The reduction in U.S. funding has alarmed Kyiv and major European allies, including France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
It is unclear if the G7 will announce new financial packages during these meetings. The focus remains on how to sustain Ukrainian defense capabilities while diplomatic channels reopen.
Meanwhile, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, acting as Trump’s envoys, met with Russian and Ukrainian officials in the United Arab Emirates. Their primary goal is to convince Moscow to accept a broader format that includes key European figures. Russia has previously insisted on a strict trilateral format involving only Russia, Ukraine, and the United States, a position it has maintained since the last talks in February.
European leaders are pushing back against this exclusion. Two U.S. officials noted that representatives from Britain, Germany, France, NATO, and the European Union would not join the main trilateral discussions. Instead, they would meet separately to discuss long-term security guarantees and the future security architecture between Russia and Europe.
German Foreign Minister Johan Wadephul, who met with Rubio on the sidelines, argued that Europe’s presence is essential. He stated, “I made clear again here that Europe belongs at this table. There can be no solution without Europe, only with Europe.” Rubio responded that the U.S. has no objection to European involvement eventually, but he characterized the current stage as too early for full integration. “We’ve got a ways to go,” Rubio said, adding that the resumption of trilateral talks was a positive step.
Military actions continued on both fronts as diplomats spoke. Russia struck Ukraine’s power grid on Monday, while Ukrainian forces targeted one of Russia’s largest oil refineries. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and thousands of civilians, according to analysts and humanitarian groups.
