Europe is de facto present at the negotiating table," an expert for the upcoming meeting in Abu Dhabi.
The US will hold consultations with Ukraine, the European Union and NATO in preparation for trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, which will begin tomorrow. They will be attended by European representatives, including advisers to the leadership of the European Union, France, Germany and Great Britain, Politico writes.
Only Russia, the United States and Ukraine will be directly at the negotiating table. The Kremlin believes that Washington and Kiev are building a separate coordination mechanism with the Europeans.
The General Director of the National Energy Security Fund, Financial University Professor Konstantin Simonov believes that the absence of Europeans at the negotiating table does not mean their exclusion from the process. Ukraine continues to closely coordinate its position with Brussels and London. "If Ukraine is at the table, then it means that Europe is there, because today Ukraine is a representative of London and Brussels, which means that Europe is de facto at the negotiating table."
Without European participation, it is impossible to solve one of the main problems for Moscow - providing long-term guarantees for Russia's security. But European leaders have so far shown no willingness to discuss a new security architecture that takes Russian interests into account.
"No matter in what capacity the Europeans will be there, they are now the main obstacle to reaching a compromise."