European leaders demand seat at Ukraine peace talks in Abu Dhabi.

Europe’s leaders are urging a seat at any future peace talks on Ukraine, saying the continent must “make up its mind” before the war can be resolved, after high‑level meetings in Abu Dhabi and Dublin this week. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russian President Vladimir Putin and senior EU officials gathered in Abu Dhabi on 15 May, while Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney hosted a separate summit in Dublin on 18 May to explore a diplomatic pathway. The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, warned that without a clear European stance, any settlement would be fragile.

The push comes as the conflict enters its third year and fatigue spreads across Europe. Energy shortages, inflation and a surge of refugees have strained EU economies, while the bloc prepares for elections in June that could reshape its foreign‑policy agenda. Russia, meanwhile, has signaled a willingness to discuss a ceasefire after a series of stalled negotiations in the United Nations, but it has not offered concrete concessions on territory or sanctions. Kyiv, bolstered by continued Western military aid, insists any deal must respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and restore its borders. Analysts say the timing reflects a rare window where both sides face internal pressures that make compromise more attractive.

Alexander Titov, a lecturer in modern European history at Queen’s University Belfast, told broadcaster France 24 that the Abu Dhabi talks marked the first time Russia and the West have sat in the same room since the war began, but the dialogue “remains largely symbolic.” He noted that European officials pressed for a “European security architecture” that would guarantee the continent’s borders, while Russian diplomats warned against “Western encirclement.” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron both called for a “balanced” approach that would address Russian security concerns without rewarding aggression. In Dublin, Irish officials pledged to act as mediators, offering a neutral venue for future rounds.

The next step is likely a formal EU‑Russia summit scheduled for late June, where European leaders hope to set parameters for a broader peace conference that could include the United States and NATO. If the EU can present a unified position on issues such as sanctions relief, territorial integrity and post‑war reconstruction, it may gain the leverage needed to bring both Kyiv and Moscow back to the table. Failure to do so could leave the war to fester, prolonging humanitarian suffering and destabilising the continent’s political landscape.