Jared Kushner calls for direct dialogue between Russia and Europeans on their security. The US emissary clarified this position on Monday 9 November 2026, prior to the talks on Ukraine planned in Abu Dhabi. Ursula von der Leyen lays down a condition: a ceasefire must precede any substantive discussion of the European security architecture.
Statements were made on the eve of two days of negotiations, on 10 and 11 November. The Russian, Ukrainian and American delegations should resume their exchanges in the capital of Emirati. Separate consultations will involve European partners.
Kushner calls for dialogue on European security
For the US negotiator, lasting peace will require direct engagement between Moscow and the European capitals. He hoped that discussions would focus on the security arrangements that affected them. This proposal extends the scope of discussions beyond the guarantees intended for Ukraine.
Kushner announces four priorities: stopping fighting, defining credible post-war guarantees, preparing for Ukrainian economic recovery and advancing on humanitarian issues. It presents these objectives as the components of a regulation to be built, without announcing a compromise reached.
He indicated that he and Steve Witkoff would consult with Ukrainian, European and NATO representatives before the trilateral meeting. He cited France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy. The stated objective remains to bring positions closer together and prepare for further negotiations.
Von der Leyen first asks to stop fighting
In Bucharest, the President of the European Commission defends a different order for discussions. It believes that a ceasefire in Ukraine must take place before any serious exchange on the security of the continent.
It also calls for an appropriate framework, involving NATO allies and EU Member States. His statement does not close the door to Abu Dhabi’s diplomatic contacts. It lays down a precondition for wider negotiations on the organisation of European security.
In his official statement alongside Romanian President Nicușor Dan, von der Leyen supports the forthcoming talks with a European presence. It also reaffirms its support for a ceasefire in the Black Sea and for the restoration of freedom of navigation.
Separate European consultations
Rustam Umerov, member of the Ukrainian delegation, confirms separate coordination meetings with European partners in Abu Dhabi. These consultations alone do not change the announced format of trade between Russia, Ukraine and the United States.
The French presence was announced Sunday by Jean-Noël Barrot. Monday’s statements now clarify the issue at stake: Ukrainian guarantees, but also the conditions for a possible Russia-Europe dialogue. Negotiators are expected on Tuesday and Wednesday in Abu Dhabi.
Illustration photo: coastal view of Abu Dhabi, July 25, 2017. Archive AdnanDekedek / Wikimedia Commons,CC BY-SA 4.0. Whole photo preserved without retouching; Libnanews clothing broadcast under the same license. This image does not represent the specific location or participants in the negotiations.Original photo and credits.
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