The joint statement set out two principles for future negotiations: Ukraine must remain sovereign, territorially intact and free to make its own political choices, while any settlement should include credible security guarantees.
Representatives met in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, ahead of trilateral talks with Russia, according to a joint statement. They coordinated efforts to end the war and establish conditions for durable peace. The European Commission published the statement, which U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff also posted on X.
The statement said the parties would continue working together during negotiations and seek to broaden participation in later discussions to include European partners.
It said any postwar framework should leave Ukraine sovereign, preserve its borders and let Kyiv make its own political choices. Separately, the statement called for credible security guarantees as part of any settlement. Participants discussed how European security institutions and agreements could contribute after the war and how to contain risks of escalation.
The statement described NATO as a continuing foundation for shared security across the Euro-Atlantic area. They said a postwar framework should improve Ukraine’s long-term security and help make a negotiated agreement possible.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had said Ukraine was consulting Germany and other European partners as it prepared for the Abu Dhabi negotiations, and was seeking to move from technical discussions toward decisions by national leaders, as described in EconoTimes’ earlier coverage of the talks.
The trilateral talks with Russia were due to begin Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, the joint statement said.
