Kremlin says European countries not included in next Ukraine talks
European countries will not be included in the next round of talks with Ukraine and the United States planned to take place in Abu Dhabi, according to a top foreign policy aide at the Kremlin.
The comment comes as UK and Netherlands pledge extra military support for Kyiv. Interfax news agency quoted Yuri Ushakov, who said the possible participation of European countries was not discussed during a 90-minute phone call on Tuesday among Russian President Vladimir Putin, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store.
conflicting accounts
But Stubb offered a different account, telling a meeting of the Nordic Council in Helsinki that European countries would be involved in November's Abu Dhabi talks. Speaking at a news conference in the Netherlands, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed trilateral talks with Russia and the US would take place from November 6 to November 10 in the United Arab Emirates.
Kyiv wanted Europe to also be involved in the talks, adding that unity and stronger pressure on Russia were needed.
increased support
Zelenskyy's comments came after meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, who pledged an extra 500 million euros ($556m) for military support to Ukraine this winter to buy drones and other material. The Dutch government also announced a new support package worth 1.2 billion euros ($1.33bn) over the next three years and a contribution of 40 million euros ($44.5m) by the end of this year to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund.
Earlier, Zelenskyy thanked British Prime Minister Andy Burnham for a newly announced additional support package worth 10 billion pounds ($13.3bn), which includes 500 million pounds ($665m) in additional military support from the Ministry of Defence to plug urgent gaps in Ukraine's air defences this winter.
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