US, European leaders begin Abu Dhabi talks aiming for final end to Russia-Ukraine war

US officials said they would pursue a “final end” to the war between Russia and Ukraine, launching the first substantive trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi since February. The talks, which also mark the first such dialogue after the United States carried out joint strikes with Israel against Iran, involve a proposal from the Trump administration for a new “long-term security architecture” linking Russia and Europe.

A US administration official emphasized that Europe must be present at the table and suggested reviving the NATO-Russian council that was suspended after the 2022 invasion, as well as potentially easing sanctions on Russia to facilitate an agreement. The official also noted that the United States had discussed offering Ukraine security guarantees comparable to NATO’s Article 5, though Russia opposes NATO membership for Ukraine or the deployment of Western troops on its territory.

“What they would be getting would be effectively very similar to NATO,” the official said. “Getting a US security guarantee is a really, really big deal… It would be a very, very big deal in terms of resources and funding and military support,” the official added, indicating that any decision would involve President Donald Trump and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Jared Kushner, a senior US negotiator, described a prospective framework that would include stronger consultation, reliable crisis communications, greater military transparency and reciprocal measures to lower escalation risks while respecting each nation’s sovereignty.

European delegations from Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy and the European Union met US negotiators to examine the proposed architecture and how to reduce future conflicts. A European security official said the US plan was still unclear and warned that the United States might present significant concessions to Russia.

“We already have a European security architecture in place,” said Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, referring to existing agreements that Russia has violated.

President Trump has suggested that any final settlement could require Ukraine to cede territory and reshape borders, and he has spoken of a “big, beautiful agreement” that might involve all of Europe. Critics warned that the United States and Russia could attempt to bypass European leaders, potentially granting Russia substantial concessions.

The United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, said progress had been made on defining the new architecture, but stressed that the conflict must first be resolved before a concrete framework can be established.