The European security architecture should be discussed once Russia’s war against Ukraine has ended, said European Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho on 9 November. She made the remarks ahead of talks between Ukraine, the US and Russia, scheduled for 10–11 November in Abu Dhabi.
“Discussions on the European security architecture should take place once the conflict has ended. This is one of our key messages. We are there precisely to present the EU’s position and its interests in the talks, which obviously also concern our security,” Pinho said at a European Commission briefing.
The statement came against the backdrop of reports that one of the key issues in the talks will be the future security architecture not only of Ukraine but of the entire European continent.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that the first item on the agenda for the talks in Abu Dhabi would be security issues concerning Russia, Ukraine and the region as a whole. According to him, the participants intend to agree on principles that could be endorsed following consultations on a comprehensive settlement of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Washington sees some progress in the discussions on the future security architecture of Ukraine and Europe. “Whenever we talk about Russia and Ukraine, the question of the need for security guarantees constantly arises. What will the post-war security architecture of Ukraine and, more broadly, the European continent look like?” he said.
Rubio commented on US President Donald Trump’s remarks regarding progress in the negotiations and explained that the discussion centres on what the security architecture might look like once the war has ended. Last week, US negotiator Jared Kushner, following consultations in Brussels, stated that work was underway on long-term agreements on security and stability in Europe.
Against this backdrop, the question has once again arisen as to a possible return to the demands made by Russia at the end of 2021. At that time, Moscow demanded that NATO effectively revert to the military configuration of 1997 and restrict the deployment of forces and weapons in countries that had joined the alliance later, including Poland and the Baltic states.
On 9 November, the European Commission confirmed that it would send a joint delegation with the European Council to the talks in Abu Dhabi. Representatives from France, Germany and the UK will also be present.
It remains unclear whether the European representatives will participate directly in the talks with the Russian delegation. The Kremlin has stated that the meeting will take place solely between Russia and Ukraine, with the US acting as mediator, whilst the Europeans will hold separate consultations with Ukraine and the US.
The US-mediated talks are scheduled for 10–11 November in the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The participants intend to discuss possible ways to end the war, security guarantees and de-escalation measures.
The original version of this article first appeared on Glob-News.com.