Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said U.S.-Russian talks now reach beyond Ukraine’s guarantees, and the Associated Press (AP) reported his warning that Moscow could use them to press for changes to NATO and U.S. forces in Europe.
At the European Political Community summit in Dublin on Nov. 12, Zelenskyy said recent discussions in Abu Dhabi covered security guarantees for Ukraine. He described the U.S.-Russia track as a wider conversation about security between Europe and Russia. EconoTimes previously reported Zelenskyy’s call for Europe to take a regular role in Ukraine peace talks.
In the AP interview, Zelenskyy said Moscow could seek changes to NATO’s military presence, including a U.S. troop withdrawal. He called that focus dangerous and said it should not become “the main agenda.” AP also reported that Zelenskyy said U.S. representatives had asked whether Kyiv would withdraw from parts of Donbas it still controls if Ukraine joined NATO. He said Ukraine would not give up its territory.
U.S. envoy Jared Kushner said in a Nov. 13 post that European partners would take part in the next round of negotiations. Territorial questions and wider European security would be discussed at the same time, he said. Humanitarian measures could come before a comprehensive agreement, but a broader European arrangement would need to address Ukraine’s security concerns. EconoTimes previously reported Kyiv was discussing a broader security package for Ukraine.
The European Commission said participants in the Nov. 10 Abu Dhabi meeting wanted a postwar framework that would strengthen Ukraine’s security over time. It said Ukraine should retain control over its political choices and territory, and described NATO as central to collective defense across the Euro-Atlantic region.
In a Nov. 6 outline, Kushner paired a lasting European framework with regular security consultations and greater transparency about military activity. He also called for crisis communications and reciprocal measures to lower escalation risks, while saying countries should retain their choice of alliances and NATO should remain central to European defense.
A Russian Foreign Ministry draft from Dec. 17, 2021, sought a halt to NATO expansion, including Ukraine’s possible accession, and called for limits on military deployments and activity. The text is an unofficial English translation and does not establish the terms of current discussions.
Kushner said details about the negotiating tracks and schedule would be announced “shortly,” but gave no date for the next round.
