U.S. facilitating direct engagement between Europe and Russia
The United States is facilitating direct engagement between Russia and Europe amid a push to secure a peace deal in the war in Ukraine, President Trump's special envoy and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, said on Saturday.
Kushner and Steve Witkoff held separate meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this past week as the Trump administration pushes to end the more than 4 ½-year conflict. The meetings came after the first round of U.S.-brokered talks between the two countries since February concluded on Wednesday with an announcement of plans for a new prisoner exchange and further talks, but nothing to suggest a wider peace deal.
"Our focus is now on facilitating direct engagement between Moscow and European partners and preparing the agenda for the next round of trilateral talks," Kushner said in a social media post on Saturday. "Several new ideas emerged from these discussions and are now being explored. Some may lead to breakthroughs directly, while others may evolve into new proposals that help bridge the remaining gaps."
Zelenskyy, in statements released Saturday, said the U.S. had raised the possibility of a new security framework for Europe, though he warned that Moscow could use such discussions to weaken NATO and reshape the continent's borders.
"In my view, this can be dangerous," Zelenskyy told reporters Friday, referring to the new security framework. "This should not be the main agenda." His comments were embargoed until Saturday.
Zelenskyy said the U.S. had asked for the first time whether Ukraine would withdraw from parts of the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine that Russia does not control if Kyiv were admitted to NATO. He reiterated that Kyiv would not surrender its territory.
He also said he believed Moscow was interested in reopening broader questions about European security rather than focusing exclusively on ending the war.
"Putin's desire to change borders in Europe is a fact. I am sure this is part of his concept of revising security guarantees in Europe," he said. "This is dangerous because, in my view, it is precisely things like this that lead to wars or escalations."
European leaders have stressed that decisions about the continent's security must be made by Europeans themselves, warning against allowing Russia to dictate the terms of a new security order or negotiate NATO's future.
Ukraine is discussing a comprehensive security package with its partners that could include specific guarantees from NATO and the European Union, a strong Ukrainian military and financial support for a specified period, he said. It would also include a recovery plan, he said.
"If the American side confirms precisely this to us, together with other NATO partners, then I will ask our Ukrainian society what it thinks: Do we accept it or not?" Zelenskyy said.
He stressed that any arrangement would not involve recognizing occupied territories as Russian.
Zelenskyy also rejected the possibility of Ukraine committing to neutrality, saying that would require changing the country's constitution.
"If Putin expects Ukraine's neutrality to be enshrined, that's not going to happen," he said. "We're not in NATO right now anyway."
Kushner said Saturday that a lasting peace in Ukraine requires security guarantees for Kyiv and "detailed, actionable postwar security arrangements that reduce the risk of another war."
"NATO will remain a critical pillar of European security, enhanced by stronger mechanisms for military, communication, deconfliction, and reciprocal de-escalation, with practical ways to address disputes before they become crises," he added. "This is why we are working to bring our European partners directly into these discussions. Any final agreement must be agreed to by the relevant parties, and President Trump will only support arrangements that strengthen Ukraine's and Europe's security and make future conflict less likely."
Zelenskyy warned that broader discussions about Europe's security could allow Putin to seek changes to NATO's military presence, including the withdrawal of American troops.
He said Putin had raised similar ideas with then-President Joe Biden in 2021, seeking a redistribution of power in Europe and the world.
"I think Putin will bring up Finland and Sweden. I'm sure he will raise the issue of Hungary and the presence of American troops in the Baltic countries," Zelenskyy said.
He said any changes to Europe's security arrangements must be decided by European NATO members only after the war ends.
"The sequence should be as follows: a ceasefire, an end to the war in Ukraine, and security guarantees for Ukraine," he said. "There can be no security guarantees in Europe, or for Europe, without Ukraine."
Mr. Trump is set to meet with Putin next week as part of a trilateral summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. He is not expected to discuss Russia's war in Ukraine, officials said.
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Breaking down key points stalling progress in Russia-Ukraine peace talks
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