Europe refuses to discuss continent's security with Russia while war continues, Bloomberg
Photo: A meeting between leaders from the US, Ukraine, and European countries at the White House (Getty Images)
European countries want Russia to end its war against Ukraine before discussing its demands regarding the continent’s security architecture. This position could deepen disagreements with the US, which proposes addressing these issues in parallel, Bloomberg reports.
According to sources familiar with the matter, European officials consider Putin’s pre-war demands unacceptable, as they would mean rolling back NATO’s presence in Eastern Europe.
In their view, the current security system exists primarily to deter Russia from attacking Europe. Therefore, discussing it while Moscow is waging war against Ukraine and violating existing agreements makes no sense. A ceasefire must come first, and any postwar security arrangements require the consent of all European countries.
By contrast, the Trump administration wants to include Europe’s security architecture in negotiations with Russia alongside other topics.
The president’s son-in-law and special envoy, Jared Kushner, outlined five goals: ongoing security consultations, reliable communication channels for times of crisis, greater military transparency, mutual steps to reduce the risk of escalation, and a long-term framework for stability in Europe.
The White House assured that it recognizes the importance of European sovereignty and NATO’s central role in collective defense.
The US approach has raised concerns among European capitals. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said that Europe should not want peace more than Putin does.
"It looks like sometimes more pressure is being put on the victim than the aggressor," he said.
The plan has also drawn criticism from Democrats in Congress, who are set to gain majorities in both chambers following the elections. "We already have a European security architecture. It’s called NATO," Senator Michael Bennet wrote.
The territorial issue has been put on hold for now because it requires decisions at the highest level. According to sources, Putin continues to demand the entire Donbas region. European officials believe that he is not prepared for serious negotiations in the coming months and is instead counting on massive strikes to break the morale of Ukrainians.
Kyiv is preparing in advance for the talks in Abu Dhabi. Ukraine has announced the composition of its delegation for the trilateral meeting with the US and Russia, which will include Presidential Office chief Kyrylo Budanov. He initially said he would lead the negotiating team, but presidential communications adviser Dmytro Lytvyn later clarified that Budanov would be one of its members.
Security guarantees will be Ukraine’s main topic at the November 10-11 meeting. According to Zelenskyy, these are precisely what needs to be discussed in Abu Dhabi.
