ABU DHABI, February 5. /TASS/. European countries have made several attempts to join consultations on Ukraine in Abu Dhabi, but they are not taking part in the negotiations today, a Western source told TASS.

"Europe is trying to join the negotiations and has made several attempts to do so," the source said. When asked whether this effort succeeded, he replied, "Europe is not at the table today."

The first round of the security consultations was held on January 23-24 in Abu Dhabi. The Russian negotiating group was headed by Igor Kostyukov, head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff. Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov led the Ukrainian working group.

The second round of trilateral talks began on February 4 in the UAE capital.

Earlier, a French source told TASS that President Emmanuel Macron intended to call Russian leader Vladimir Putin, but that it would take several days to prepare for a substantive conversation. Macron said he planned to speak with Putin as soon as possible. In December 2025, following the EU summit in Brussels, the French leader stated that it was time for Europe to resume dialogue with Russia. He also noted that the current negotiation format on Ukraine, in which American representatives discuss settlement terms with Russia without European involvement, "is not optimal."