Lavrov criticizes the European presence on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi talks on Ukraine

- Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, criticized the presence of European officials in the Emirati capital, Abu Dhabi, coinciding with the peace talks bringing together the United States, Russia, and Ukraine, considering that their participation is not a “promising approach.” Lavrov said on Tuesday, while the tripartite negotiations were taking place: “With regard to the participation of the Europeans, they have traveled to Abu Dhabi; then let them sit in one of its hotels.”

He added: "The Americans have stated that they will hold meetings with the Europeans and Ukrainians before starting negotiations with our delegation. Lavrov also ruled out the idea of ​​reaching an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, indicating that this would give Kiev an opportunity to "compensate for the military losses incurred by the regime."

In return, Europe seeks to strengthen its role and participation in the peace process. In response to a question about the possibility of direct engagement with the Russian side during the Abu Dhabi talks, the official spokeswoman for the European Commission, Paola Pinho, did not confirm any details about such plans, but she said: “The goal is to eventually reach discussions in a multilateral framework.”

She added: “We cannot determine when this will happen at the moment, but it remains the ultimate goal.”