The United States has added a broader European security architecture to the agenda of the upcoming talks on Ukraine, which European officials and analysts say is already giving Russia a strategic advantage. Discussions between American, Ukrainian and Russian representatives begin on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi.
The American delegation will be led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law. The meeting will be Trump’s first opportunity to try to restore his role as a global mediator following Republican losses in the US midterm elections.
Europe Does Not Want Talks Behind Its Back
European officials insist that Russia must first end the war before the future security rules for the continent are discussed. They fear that Washington may hold talks with Moscow about the European order without the direct participation of European countries.
“We already have a European security architecture. The problem is that Russia continues to violate the treaties that support it,” said Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s high representative for foreign affairs.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot also insisted that European representatives participate in the talks in Abu Dhabi. The invited partners include representatives of Ukraine, the European Union, NATO, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Italy.
Washington Talks About a New System
In a social media post, Jared Kushner said that the US was seeking “ongoing security consultations, reliable crisis communication, greater military transparency and reciprocal measures to reduce the risk of escalation.” According to him, the future framework must respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independent decision-making of every country.
Former American and European officials, however, point out that similar principles are already enshrined in agreements such as the 1997 NATO–Russia Founding Act. They say these mechanisms were undermined by Moscow’s actions in Georgia and Ukraine.
“Anyone can say that this sounds good. The problem is that this is precisely the security architecture that Russia is trying to destroy,” said Eric Ciaramella, former acting senior director for Europe and Russia at the US National Security Council.
Moscow Insists on Influence Over European Security
Russian President Vladimir Putin has long portrayed the full-scale invasion of Ukraine as a response to an alleged threat from NATO’s expansion and claims of persecution of Russian-speaking residents in eastern Ukraine. The United States and its European allies reject these claims as false.
According to former US assistant secretary of state for European affairs Daniel Fried, discussing postwar European security before the war ends repeats a central Kremlin talking point. “For every administration except Trump’s, the feeling is horrifying that Kushner and Witkoff do not understand what they are looking at,” Fried said.
The American administration hopes that broadening the agenda will encourage Moscow to make concessions on territorial issues, including over its demand that Ukraine withdraw from fortified areas in Donbas. Analysts, however, say the Kremlin may view the change as a sign that American resistance is weakening and that Washington may conclude separate agreements with Moscow.
Trump said in an interview with CBS that he considered the deal to be close and that Ukraine would probably emerge from the war in a “slightly different form.” Meanwhile, Russia has made no concessions and has intensified its strikes on Ukrainian cities. At least 53 people were killed in an attack on a humanitarian aid distribution point in Zaporizhzhia region last week.
Sources: washingtonpost.com