Zakharova: Europeans have no place at the negotiating table on Ukraine

Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said European countries have no place at the negotiating table when it comes to resolving the conflict in Ukraine, reacting to the first military exercises of the so‑called "multinational forces for Ukraine" organised within the "Coalition of the Prepared."

Zakharova published her remarks on the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website and argued that the drills underlined Europe's lack of a role in talks on the conflict.

Warning ahead of Abu Dhabi talks

The statement came ahead of a new round of trilateral talks between representatives of Russia, the United States and Ukraine scheduled for 10 and 11 November in Abu Dhabi, where closed‑door discussions will focus on security guarantees for the parties.

Zakharova stressed that the deployment of foreign military contingents on Ukrainian territory is categorically unacceptable to Moscow and warned that Russian forces would regard any such units as legitimate military targets.

She added that "responsibility for this escalation will rest entirely with those who conceive new military adventures against Russia, unsuccessfully trying to inflict on our country a 'strategic defeat'," and asserted that such plans would not be realised and that all goals set by Russian leadership within what Moscow calls its "special military operation" will be achieved.

Photo: press material from the event