It is a little frustrating to hear the arrogance of European/NATO voices in the Ukraine-Russia peace negotiations. The arrogance comes from Europe demanding the U.S. military underpin the Ukraine ‘security guarantee’, yet those same EU voices seemingly interfere seeking to set the terms in any U.S mediation effort, and that keeps the fighting ongoing.

As Jennifer Jacobs has reported, “US has asked the Russians to accept Article 4 and Article 5-like security guarantees for Ukraine, so Ukraine would effectively get protection “very similar to NATO,” a US official told us.  Kushner and Witkoff have said US is “very aligned” with the EU and NATO and the European partners, the official said. Getting a U.S. security guarantee would a “really, really big deal,” but that’ll be up to Trump, the official said. But Trump wants Europe to carry the financial burden.

Kushner, Witkoff, Ukraine and Russian representatives in addition to someone from the EU are traveling to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where they will collectively participate in Russian-Ukrainian negotiations under US mediation scheduled for tomorrow and Wednesday, Nov 10–11.

Jared Kushner (via X) – “President Trump is determined to bring an end to this horrible war, which has caused enormous loss of life, destruction, and suffering. We are working hard to find a negotiated solution that can deliver lasting peace and create the conditions for a sovereign, secure, and prosperous Ukraine within a more stable European security environment.

Before beginning the two days of trilateral talks with Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi, [Steve Witkoff] and I will meet with our partners from Ukraine, the EU, NATO, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Italy to continue the close consultation and coordination we have undertaken on European security and Ukraine’s postwar future over the past several weeks.

These will be the first trilateral talks since February. Building on our separate consultations with both sides, our objective is to bring Ukraine and Russia together to discuss directly their postwar security concerns, proposals, and potential solutions. We hope these discussions will identify areas of common ground, advance practical solutions, and build momentum toward the next phase of negotiations.

Ultimately, achieving a comprehensive and lasting settlement will also require direct engagement between Russia and our European partners on the broader security arrangements that affect them. We hope the discussions in Abu Dhabi will create the conditions for that engagement to begin in the near future, as part of a broader multilateral process.

Our work has focused on four interconnected priorities: ending the fighting, developing credible postwar security guarantees and arrangements that reduce the risk of renewed conflict, preparing a comprehensive economic and prosperity plan for Ukraine, and advancing humanitarian measures to alleviate suffering and address the human consequences of this war.

Together with Ukraine, the EU, and other European partners, we are working to address Ukraine’s substantial postwar fiscal and reconstruction needs, support critical infrastructure, attract private investment, and create the conditions for long-term economic growth and self-sufficiency.

We are also working with the parties on important humanitarian issues, including the return of prisoners and civilians, and practical measures to alleviate suffering and reduce the human cost of this conflict.

An important part of this process is encouraging all parties to begin thinking seriously about what comes after the war. By discussing postwar security, economic recovery, and the mechanisms needed to prevent future conflict, we hope to shift the focus from managing the war toward building the foundations for a durable peace.

The existing European security agreements and institutions provide an important foundation for this work. We want to build upon what has worked, identify where existing mechanisms have fallen short, and what practical improvements are needed to make them more effective in the future. Our discussions will focus on stronger consultation, reliable crisis communications, greater military transparency, and reciprocal measures to reduce escalation risks, while fully respecting the sovereignty and independent decision-making of every nation.

This is an extraordinarily difficult and complicated conflict. We recognize the difficult decisions ahead and are approaching these discussions with determination and realism. Our hope is to make meaningful progress, establish a practical pathway forward, and help create the conditions for a lasting peace.” (source)