US asks Russia to draft European security proposal as Abu Dhabi talks focus on Ukraine peace

Why it matters

The proposal could shape a broader European security arrangement linked to the end of the war in Ukraine. It also ties progress on European security to Russia's acceptance of European involvement in peace negotiations. The reported willingness to consider some Russian demands has concerned European governments, even though Washington says Ukraine and Europe must consent to any agreement and that Russia will receive no veto.

What happened

The US asked Russia to develop a new European security proposal that incorporates Russian security concerns and identifies reciprocal steps to reduce tensions and provide Europe with guarantees against further attacks. Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff sought to present it to Vladimir Putin in Moscow on 12 November and to persuade him to allow European representatives to join the next Ukraine peace-talk round.

The initiative followed two days of US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi on 10–11 November, where a new European security architecture was a central issue. Officials described the first day's discussions as constructive and the second as a neutral exchange. The sides also discussed occupied Ukrainian territory and reached an agreement on a large-scale prisoner release, although the final numbers were not published. The prisoner-release agreement was subject to Putin's approval.

Washington said it would not sign a security agreement with Russia without the consent of Ukraine and European countries and would not give Moscow a veto over European security decisions. The practical implementation of the proposed architecture is expected to be deferred until the war ends.

How Ukrainian sources describe it

Ukrainian reporting highlights Washington's request that Russia formulate concrete de-escalation steps and provide guarantees against new attacks. It also emphasizes the US demand for European participation in the next peace talks and its rejection of a Russian veto on European security matters. Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that the US plan could be dangerous because Russia has shown no signs of ending the war, while Ukrainian negotiators said strict instructions from Moscow limited the Russian delegation's ability to reach agreements. The Abu Dhabi talks were presented alongside prisoner exchanges, territorial discussions and efforts to set the next meeting date before winter.

How international sources describe it

International coverage frames the initiative as a US attempt to develop a European security architecture alongside negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. Russia's long-standing demands for limits on NATO expansion and a reduced allied military presence in Eastern Europe form the principal background. Attention also centers on the proposed link between European participation in peace talks and European governments' willingness to consider a broader security agreement, as well as the reported lack of trust and tough character of the discussions.

Background

Russia has spent years seeking a European security agreement that would limit further NATO expansion and reduce the alliance's military presence in Eastern Europe. Moscow previously rejected European participation in Ukraine peace talks, while the new US proposal makes European involvement a condition for substantive security discussions. The United States said it would not conclude a security agreement without Ukraine and European countries, although reports suggested the administration was now prepared to consider some Russian security demands in a broader arrangement.