On November 10 and 11, Ukraine, Russia, and the United States are scheduled to meet again in Abu Dhabi. The U.S. administration is trying to revive the stalled negotiations. Previous attempts faltered because Moscow insisted on territorial demands and rejected proposals for an unconditional ceasefire.
President Trump has since spoken of 'a major deal' with Russia, which would concern not only Ukraine but all of Europe. His son-in-law and negotiator Jared Kushner then presented five principles for a new European security system.
Major deal
The American proposal goes beyond just a peace settlement for Ukraine. Washington also wants to make agreements about the future security relations in Europe, involving Russia. Kushner emphasized that countries must be able to independently decide on their security policies and that NATO retains a central role in European defense.
European leaders want to prevent Washington and Moscow from making decisions about the security of 'their' continent without their participation. Ukraine also demands European involvement. EU Council President António Costa believes the European Union should be represented in such negotiations through its own institutions.
Peace envoy
This raises the question of who negotiates on behalf of Europe. Italian Prime Minister Meloni advocates for a special EU peace envoy. She warns that the many separate diplomatic initiatives could undermine Europe's credibility. Costa plans to discuss her proposal during the European meeting on November 13 in Dublin.
European involvement is also important for implementing any agreements. The EU provides substantial financial support to Ukraine and plays a key role in reconstruction. Ukraine's prospective EU membership is also being discussed as part of a long-term peace settlement.
EU membership
Some argue that full EU membership for Ukraine would be beneficial for a peace settlement. However, the European Commission stated last week that Ukraine is not yet ready for this.
Ukraine demands binding and enforceable security guarantees to prevent new Russian attacks. President Zelensky has reiterated this demand to American negotiators. Russia, however, continues to hold to its territorial claims, including the transfer of parts of the Donbas region still under Ukrainian control.
