The European Union will be present at the talks on Ukraine expected to take place this week in Abu Dhabi, a sign that Brussels is seeking not to remain a bystander in discussions that directly affect the continent’s security. The confirmation came from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen after a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Confirmation from Brussels
In a public statement, von der Leyen said she had discussed diplomatic efforts to achieve peace with Zelensky, as well as the meetings planned in the United Arab Emirates.
According to her, the EU will be present in Abu Dhabi “together with partners,” while later in the week she is expected to meet the Ukrainian president in Dublin for further discussions on the steps toward peace.
What the EU wants to protect
At today’s press conference, European Commission spokesperson Paola Pinho said the EU aims to appear at these talks with a common position and to protect its interests, linking the course of the war in Ukraine with European security.
According to the Commission’s version, one of the messages Brussels will take to Abu Dhabi is that discussions on the European security architecture should take place only after the war has ended. This shows that the EU is seeking to set political boundaries in a process where the real weight of the actors at the table remains unclear.
Representation remains without official names
The European Commission did not disclose the name of the representative who will specifically take part in the meeting. However, according to Euronews, the joint delegation of the European Commission and the European Council is expected to be led by Björn Seibert, Ursula von der Leyen’s head of cabinet, and Anna-Maria Boura, the chief foreign policy adviser to European Council President António Costa.
The absence of a full official announcement on the level of representation leaves room for questions about the concrete weight the EU will have in these talks, beyond political statements that it will be “present.”
Other meetings and alarm over the Black Sea
According to the Commission spokesperson, peace efforts in Ukraine will also be at the center of the informal European Council meeting on November 13 in Dublin, as well as discussions within the framework of the Berlin Forum. Diplomacy, support for Ukraine and funding issues are expected to be in focus.
Meanwhile, von der Leyen announced that she has begun a visit to Romania and Bulgaria, warning of escalating security threats in the Black Sea and an increase in attacks that, according to her, have caused civilian casualties. She called for the restoration and guarantee of freedom of navigation in the Black Sea and reiterated support for Zelensky’s call for a ceasefire covering food and energy infrastructure.
Winter, infrastructure and fears of a humanitarian crisis
Paola Pinho described the humanitarian situation in Ukraine as dramatic and accused Russia of deliberately striking the infrastructure the country depends on to get through the winter months.
According to the European Commission, the EU is mobilizing to guarantee the continuity of basic services, including electricity, heating and water supply. These statements place the humanitarian crisis and financial support on the same level as diplomacy, while the talks in Abu Dhabi are also expected to test how much real influence Brussels can exert on the political ground.
For now, what is known with certainty is that the EU wants a seat at the table and its own voice on issues affecting Europe’s security. It remains to be seen whether this presence will translate into a decision-making role or merely symbolic participation.
In a process where diplomacy, war and strategic interests openly collide, statements about European unity remain politically important, but the real test will be the EU’s concrete influence on the direction the negotiations take.