Talks on settling the conflict in Ukraine are set to take place in Abu Dhabi in the first half of November, and they'll be held in a three-way format bringing together Russia, the United States and Ukraine.
This was announced by Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary for the Russian president, in comments to journalists.
The Kremlin spokesman reminded reporters that Russian President Vladimir Putin had, a day earlier, spelled out what the upcoming talks would be about: making sure both Russia's and Ukraine's security is guaranteed once a peaceful settlement is reached.
"This is a very important part of reaching a peaceful settlement. Without it, no comprehensive solution is possible," Peskov stressed.
Asked whether European representatives might take part in the discussions, Peskov said that option couldn't be ruled out in advance. All the same, the meeting coming up in Abu Dhabi will be held in the three-way format.
According to him, it's still hard to say who will sit at the table in the later rounds of talks. He added that without other participants there will be no way to discuss Europe's security architecture, but the process is expected to start in the Russia-US-Ukraine format. Commenting on the chances of the European Union being drawn into the diplomatic process, Peskov said Moscow's stance would depend on where the European representatives stand.
Image: Alexander Shcherbak / TASS
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