The two-day trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi have brought progress toward settling the Ukraine conflict, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has told RT in an exclusive interview.However, involving European governments in the process could undermine diplomatic efforts, he warned.
Ryabkov was among the Russian delegates at the negotiations, which concluded on Wednesday with an agreement in principle on a major prisoner exchange. US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner subsequently traveled to Moscow, where they met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday for talks lasting around two and a half hours.
Ryabkov noted that the latest round in Abu Dhabi differed from previous meetings, with American representatives seeking to make discussions more concrete. Much of the attention focused on a future European security architecture that could support a lasting settlement and prevent “uncontrolled escalation,” he said.
“We have made progress. That is an indisputable fact,” Ryabkov said, while cautioning that previous diplomatic advances had been followed by setbacks and attempts to derail the process.
“Bringing the Europeans into the negotiating process could mean a reversal and the disruption of efforts,” the diplomat warned.
He pointed to a fundamental divide between European governments and both Moscow and Washington, adding that they rejected Russia’s approach and appeared equally opposed to proposals advanced by the US administration.
Ryabkov said that European governments had shown “not the slightest desire to exercise common sense” while continuing to recklessly support Kiev. He described the gap between their declared support for a settlement and their actual policies as one rooted in “hypocrisy and lies.”
Those who had previously sought to derail diplomatic efforts should recognize that the situation is changing “not in Kiev’s favor” and draw lessons from past setbacks, the Russian diplomat said.
Western European representatives were not part of the trilateral negotiations, although they held separate consultations with the American and Ukrainian teams. On Wednesday, Vladimir Zelensky demanded that European countries agree on a representative to join the peace process by the end of November.
Moscow has repeatedly questioned Europe’s credibility, citing its continued military and financial support for Kiev and calls for Russia’s strategic defeat. It has also rejected calls for an unconditional ceasefire coming from Brussels, arguing that such a pause would allow Ukrainian forces to regroup and rearm.
Putin also addressed the issue on Thursday, telling Witkoff and Kushner that Russia wanted Washington to work with European governments to establish whether they sought peace or war. He also reiterated Moscow’s opposition to foreign troops in Ukraine, warning that their presence would threaten Russian national security and make them legitimate military targets.