There are growing concerns in Europe that the slow and complex process of settling the war in Ukraine may eventually lose its priority for the United States. This is noted by Financial Times commentator Gideon Rahman in an analysis dedicated to the first trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States since the beginning of the war, held in Abu Dhabi last Friday and Saturday.
According to Rahman, the talks have shown that Washington has managed to establish itself in the role of a mediator - an impartial mediator between the two warring parties, and not as a country that supports one of them. According to him, in recent weeks, concerns among European politicians that the US administration is showing too much sympathy for the Kremlin have begun to wane.
Fears that Russian President Vladimir Putin could seriously influence Washington's position during meetings with special envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow have not yet been completely dispelled. At the same time, Rahman notes, Europe recognizes the efforts of the second American negotiator - President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, whom they perceive as a serious and conscientious mediator.
According to the FT analysis, Europe and the United States have the potential to complement each other, rather than hinder each other in the peace process: European countries can provide financial and military support for Ukraine, while the United States keeps open channels of communication with the Kremlin.
The main concern in Europe is no longer that the Trump administration could "betray" Ukraine - a fear that dominated earlier, but that Washington might lose patience and divert its attention from the peace process. According to Rahman, the negotiations are progressing slowly and will likely require a lot more time and political resources, while pressure from other domestic and foreign policy issues will increase on President Trump.
Although the beginning of a real peace process has been set - and on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine - there is a real possibility that the fighting will continue for another year, Rahman concludes.