Jared Kushner views the NATO–Russia Council as a possible model for negotiations on Europe’s future security, writes „Washington Post“ columnist David Ignatius, citing a US official familiar with the talks.
The idea is linked to President Donald Trump’s son-in-law’s efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Ukraine and create a broader format in which Russia and European countries would discuss the security of the continent.
Talks in Abu Dhabi
On Tuesday, 10 November, trilateral talks between representatives of the United States, Ukraine and Russia are due to begin in Abu Dhabi. According to „Washington Post“, they will focus on the compromises needed to end the fighting.
Kushner has linked the ceasefire negotiations to the idea of broader multilateral talks between Russia and Europe. In a statement published on the social network „X“, he said that if progress is made, European countries should move to a format involving direct participation.
The stated goals include „permanent security consultations“, reliable communication during crises, greater military transparency, reciprocal measures to limit the risk of escalation, and a long-term framework for security and stability in Europe.
Europe Sets a Different Sequence
European representatives told Ignatius that they were ready for dialogue with Moscow, but would agree to a new security framework only after a ceasefire had been reached in Ukraine. One of them summed up the position as follows: „A peace agreement in Ukraine must be reached before an agreement on the security architecture.“
This reveals a difference in the sequence of the negotiations. Kushner prefers the two processes to move forward simultaneously, while the European countries supporting Ukraine insist that a ceasefire must be achieved first.
The 2002 Model
The NATO–Russia Council was established in 2002 as a mechanism for consultation, cooperation, joint decision-making and joint action. In it, NATO member states and Russia participated as equal partners on issues of common interest.
Practical cooperation was suspended in April 2014 following Russia’s annexation of Crimea. Communication channels were maintained, but the Council’s last meeting took place in January 2022. Following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, NATO stated that it could no longer regard Russia as a partner.
According to the „Washington Post“ report, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed interest in the pan-European security plan during a meeting with Steve Witkoff on 21 October, in which Kushner participated via video link. At the same time, European representatives warned that reaching an agreement would be difficult and that the talks could not precede the end of the war.
Sources: washingtonpost.com