U.S. mediators asked Russia to draft a new security agreement involving Europe during high-stakes diplomatic talks in Abu Dhabi, Axios reported on Wednesday.
Peace Talks and Prisoner Exchanges in Abu Dhabi
President Donald Trump’s envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff mediated discussions between Russian and Ukrainian officials, according to Axios. The meetings marked the first time Ukrainian and Russian officials met with U.S. mediators present since February, when communications were suspended due to the war in Iran.
The US asks Russia to submit a new European security proposal – Axios https://t.co/0114Enjr9h
Negotiators described the Tuesday discussions as tense and emotional after nine months of silence, though talks eventually turned constructive. “We had pretty tough discussions,” Kushner said at a press conference after the talks concluded on Wednesday. “The Russians came with strict directives. It was very hard to soften it, but it ended productively,” Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia said.
The Security Architecture Proposal for Europe
A central focus of the Abu Dhabi negotiations was a U.S. proposal for a new Europe-Russia security architecture to accompany any ultimate peace agreement. Russian negotiators told U.S. mediators that President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion because then-President Biden failed to answer a 2021 letter detailing Russian security concerns.
NEW: The Kremlin is attempting to center the ongoing US-Russia-Ukraine trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi around significant changes to the European security architecture — an effort to revive its 2021 ultimatums to the United States and NATO about rolling back NATO’s presence in… pic.twitter.com/NGFSLdByJj
Kushner and Witkoff responded by telling Russian officials that global conditions have changed significantly since 2021. They proposed that Moscow draft a new framework outlining its security concerns alongside symmetrical de-escalation steps to reassure Europe. U.S. officials insisted that Russia must permit European representatives to participate in future peace talks if security issues are to be discussed seriously.
“We told the Russians, they have their desires and fears, but they have to provide different de-escalation and different proposals as well, if they want Europe to be able to receive those proposals in a good way,” Kushner said during the press conference.
Moscow Opposes European Involvement in Peace Talks
Moscow has consistently opposed European participation in peace talks. At the same time, euronews reported that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen cautioned that meaningful discussions regarding European security architecture can only occur after a ceasefire is achieved in Ukraine. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski added that any arrangement concerning the future of Europe above their heads is impossible, as euronews detailed.
Meanwhile, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas maintained in an interview with France 24 that the United States cannot negotiate on behalf of the EU regarding the lifting of Russian sanctions.
🚨Scoop: The U. S. has asked Russia to submit a new proposal for a future security agreement with Europe that includes Russian steps to ease tension with the continent, two sources with knowledge of the matter said. My story on @axioshttps://t.co/QDjAdpcFqW
Upcoming Meetings in Moscow and Dublin
Kushner and Witkoff are scheduled to meet with Putin in Moscow on Thursday to reiterate the request for a security proposal and push for European representation in forthcoming peace talks, Axios reported. Following the Moscow meetings, the envoys will travel to Dublin to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday night.
European leaders are set to address security issues at an upcoming summit in Dublin, where diplomats note that the concept of a Russia-Europe security arrangement continues to face substantial resistance and unanswered questions.
Our team reported on the results of the meetings in Abu Dhabi with the American and Russian sides, as well as the coordination with European partners present in the Emirates. First, there is an important humanitarian arrangement regarding preparations for a new exchange. Second,… pic.twitter.com/N1ql7Yn2Z6
