US pushes European security framework for Ukraine peace deal

The United States insisted Monday that a broader European security architecture must be part of any Ukraine-Russia peace deal, amid European skepticism over talks in Abu Dhabi. Washington argues such a framework is essential to resolving the war's core territorial issues. US envoy Jared Kushner said Europe and Russia must hold direct talks on "broader security arrangements," though Russia has ruled out such engagement. US officials expressed "cautious optimism" about a deal, citing private flexibility from both Moscow and Kyiv, and said they have requested NATO-style security guarantees for Ukraine. The Abu Dhabi talks will include the US, Russia, and Ukraine, with separate US meetings with European nations, the EU, and NATO to address concerns about being excluded. The war began in February 2022 with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.