Italy took part in the coordination meeting ahead of the talks between the United States, Ukraine and Russia

The coordination meeting with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, which took place prior to the start of the trilateral talks between the United States, Ukraine and Russia, was also attended by National Security Adviser Fabrizio Saggio. Representatives from Ukraine, the E4 countries (Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom), NATO and the EU took part in the meeting.

According to sources at Palazzo Chigi, during the meeting Italy reaffirmed its full support for Ukraine, its sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as for the United States’ efforts to bring the parties back to the negotiating table. Indeed, the negotiations are having an increasingly direct impact on the security of the entire continent. 

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, in a letter addressed to European Council President António Costa, emphasised that a comprehensive agreement should lead to guarantees on security, reconstruction, sanctions and a European roadmap for Ukraine’s future; for this very reason, the EU must speak with one voice and establish a clear, shared mandate. Meloni therefore called for discussions to take place during the informal European Council meeting in Dublin, with a view to reaching a decision at the European Council in December. Sources at Palazzo Chigi have also reported that the Prime Minister welcomed Costa’s willingness to act on the request and take the matter forward.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also spoke this morning, responding to a question from journalists in Paris regarding the proposal – put forward by Jared Kushner – to initiate direct dialogue between the Europeans and Moscow: “We have never been opposed to direct talks between Europe and Russia on the war in Ukraine”. He added: "It has been the Russians who, so far, have been unwilling to do so", noting that the national security advisers from Germany, the United Kingdom and France are present in Abu Dhabi, even though they are not currently sitting at the negotiating table. "Ultimately, it would be a positive step," he added, emphasising that European representatives had also been involved in previous meetings in Florida. Rubio described the resumption of trilateral talks between the United States, Russia and Ukraine as positive: “It is better to have talks than not to have them.” He did, however, acknowledge the difficulties in achieving concrete results, whilst assuring that Washington would continue to seek solutions to end the conflict.