Across a long and bruised war, a fresh round of talks is gathering in Abu Dhabi, where negotiators from Washington, Moscow and Kyiv hope to reach something they describe as a final ending. It is the first serious conversation between Russia and Ukraine since February, and it arrives in a world already unsettled by American strikes on Iran and by a president weakened at home. Beneath the language of architecture and guarantees lies an old European fear: that a peace struck over its head may ask it to accept a security order it once refused, and that lasting settlements are rarely built by forge
US Seeks 'Final End' to Russia-Ukraine War as Abu Dhabi Talks Open With Europe's Security at Stake
A final end to the war, built on architecture Europe says already exists
Mark
Why do these Abu Dhabi talks matter more than earlier rounds?
Mimi
They're the first substantive Russia-Ukraine negotiations since February, and Europe is bringing delegations from Germany, France, the UK, Italy and the EU. The agenda goes beyond Ukraine to a security arrangement between Russia and Europe.
Mark
What's the part that worries Europeans most?
Mimi
Russia's long-standing demand that Nato pull back from eastern Europe. A US administration has never embraced that before, and officials have also floated reviving the Nato-Russia council and possibly lifting sanctions.
Luke
Let me separate what's confirmed. Those are things US officials said could happen, not things agreed. Rubio claimed "some advances" on the architecture, but the content isn't public.
Mark
And the security guarantee for Ukraine?
Mimi
Officials say it would be effectively very similar to Nato, and that it's up to Trump and Zelenskyy.
Luke
Note the source: that's a US official's characterization, and the claim is that it was discussed with Russia. We haven't heard Moscow's or Kyiv's account. Critics also point out Article 5 doesn't compel military defence, so "similar" carries a lot of weight.
Mark
Does Trump's talk of a deal involving all of Europe change things?
Mimi
It feeds the fear that he and Putin might bypass European leaders, though the US official says Europe is needed at the table.
Luke
Those are competing signals, and one unnamed European official says the proposal isn't clear yet. Whether Europe actually shapes the outcome is unknown.
O Pulso
- Negotiators from the United States, Russia and Ukraine are set to sit down in Abu Dhabi, the first real talks between Moscow and Kyiv since February.
- Europe fears that a new security framework could force NATO to pull back its forces in the east, echoing Russia's 2021 demands that were rejected before the invasion.
- Washington is floating a revived NATO-Russia council and possible sanctions relief, while insisting that Europe must be seated at the table.
- A US-style guarantee for Ukraine, modeled on Article 5, is under discussion, yet officials concede Ukraine may have to surrender territory.
- Diplomats are bracing for serious concessions to Russia, and the outcome remains unclear as delegations prepare to meet.
Across a long and bruised war, a fresh round of talks is gathering in Abu Dhabi, where negotiators from Washington, Moscow and Kyiv hope to reach something they describe as a final ending. It is the first serious conversation between Russia and Ukraine since February, and it arrives in a world already unsettled by American strikes on Iran and by a president weakened at home. Beneath the language of architecture and guarantees lies an old European fear: that a peace struck over its head may ask it to accept a security order it once refused, and that lasting settlements are rarely built by forgetting why the last ones failed.
Negotiators from the United States, Russia and Ukraine are preparing to meet in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. These are the first substantive talks between Moscow and Kyiv since February, and US officials say their goal is a "final end" to the war.
The moment is unusual. The talks come after joint US and Israeli strikes on Iran and after midterm elections that weakened Donald Trump at home. The administration is plainly eager for a deal.
Central to the American proposal is a new long-term security architecture between Russia and Europe. Jared Kushner has spoken of stronger consultation, crisis communications and reduced escalation risks, while respecting national sovereignty. European delegations will meet US negotiators to discuss it, and a US official said Washington would "need Europe at the table." The NATO-Russia council, suspended since 2022, could be revived, and sanctions might be lifted.
Europe's anxiety is specific. Putin has long resented NATO's eastward expansion, and European officials fear a deal that forces the alliance to withdraw from eastern Europe. A US official acknowledged the "baggage" this carries, recalling Russia's 2021 demands that NATO had rejected before the invasion. Kaja Kallas replied that existing agreements already bind Russia, and the problem is that Moscow does not respect them.
On Ukraine's security, officials have discussed guarantees resembling NATO's Article 5, though Russia opposes both NATO membership for Ukraine and Western troops on its soil. Trump has suggested Ukraine may have to give up territory. Critics fear he and Putin could strike a deal over the heads of European leaders, and a European official said the proposal remains unclear while delegations brace for serious concessions.
What to watch is whether Europe wins a real seat at the table, and whether the guarantee for Ukraine takes concrete form.
Negotiators from the United States, Russia and Ukraine are due to sit down in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. These are the first substantive talks between Moscow and Kyiv since February. US officials say their aim is nothing less than a "final end" to the war.
The context is unusual. These are the first such talks since the United States launched joint strikes with Israel against Iran. They also follow midterm elections that were bruising for Donald Trump and left him weaker at home. US officials have made plain that the administration is eager to reach a deal.
Part of the American proposal is a new "long-term security architecture" between Russia and Europe. Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and a lead US negotiator, sketched it in general terms on Monday. He spoke of "stronger consultation, reliable crisis communications, greater military transparency, and reciprocal measures to reduce escalation risks," all while respecting the sovereignty and independent decision-making of every nation. Delegations from Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy and the European Union will meet US negotiators in Abu Dhabi to discuss how to reduce future conflicts.
A US official previewing the talks said Washington would "need Europe at the table." He said the negotiators could revive the Nato-Russia council, suspended after Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, and could potentially lift sanctions on Russia to reach an agreement. Secretary of state Marco Rubio said on Monday that "some advances" had been made on what the architecture should look like, but added that the conflict has to be got past first.
Europe's worry is specific. Since early in his rule, Vladimir Putin has complained about Nato's eastward expansion and sought to renegotiate the balance of power with the alliance. European officials fear Russia will hold to its demand that Nato pull back its military footprint in eastern Europe, which would leave allies exposed to Moscow's influence. What is new is that no sitting US administration has embraced such demands before. A US official acknowledged the "baggage" Europeans carry here, pointing to Russia's 2021 list of demands to Nato. That list called for a ban on expansion to countries including Ukraine, a rollback of forces to pre-1997 borders, and limits on missile placement. Nato rejected it, and Russia invaded Ukraine less than a month later.
The official argued that the old structures have plainly failed. "If all the old architecture was working well, then we wouldn't be in this long war," he said, adding that the aim is to make sure the end of the war is a real one. Kaja Kallas, the EU's top diplomat, answered at a G7 foreign ministers meeting on Monday. Europe already has a security architecture, she said, including agreements in which Russia accepted obligations on sovereignty and territorial integrity. "The problem is that Russia is not respecting these agreements."
On Ukraine's own security, US officials said they had discussed with Russia possible guarantees resembling Nato's Article 5. Russia strongly opposes both Nato membership for Ukraine and western troops on its soil. "What they would be getting would be effectively very similar to Nato," one official said, calling a US guarantee a "really, really big deal" in resources, funding and military support. He said it would be for Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss. Critics note that Article 5 does not actually oblige members to defend one another, and that cyber-attacks and other hybrid warfare blur what would trigger a military response.
Trump has also said Ukraine would likely be expected to give up territory, ending up with a "little bit different shape." Last week, after meeting Kremlin adviser Kirill Dmitriev, he said he wanted a "big, beautiful agreement" that "might involve all of Europe." Critics fear he and Putin could go over European leaders' heads. A European security official from a country attending said the US proposal was not yet clear and that delegations were bracing for serious concessions to Russia.
What to watch is whether Europe secures a real seat at the table, and whether the Article 5-style guarantee for Ukraine takes concrete form.
Citações Notáveis
We already have a European security architecture in place. The problem is that Russia is not respecting these agreements.— Kaja Kallas, EU top diplomat, at a G7 foreign ministers meeting
What they would be getting would be effectively very similar to Nato.— US administration official, on security guarantees for Ukraine
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War & Conflict