Kushner proposes NATO-Russia Council model for European security: EU insists that ceasefire in Ukraine is top priority, – WP
According to the Washington Post, Jared Kushner, an adviser and relative of Donald Trump, is considering the Russia–NATO Council format as a possible model for the future architecture of European security. At the same time, European diplomats emphasise that reaching a ceasefire in Ukraine remains a key condition.
This is reported by Censor.NET, citing The Washington Post columnist David Ignatius.
The NATO-Russia Council model for Europe
"Kushner has linked his efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Ukraine with a call for broader multilateral talks between Russia and Europe on post-war security on the continent. According to an official familiar with the talks, Kushner’s model is the NATO-Russia Council, which was established after the end of the Cold War but whose activities were suspended in 2014 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea," he writes in his column.
As European officials stated in comments to the media, the EU is open to negotiations with Russia, but any security agreements are possible only after a ceasefire has been established in Ukraine.
"Work is continuing on both fronts," noted a well-informed representative of a country that is a close partner of the US. At the same time, he emphasised that a peace agreement on Ukraine must be signed before any agreements on the security architecture.
The EU’s conditions: a ceasefire first
A senior official from another leading EU state noted that although this approach carries significant risks, it is in Europe’s best interests to engage in the process. He emphasised, however, that the position remains firm: dialogue is only possible once hostilities have ceased, and the negotiations themselves will be complex. There is a consensus in Europe that any contacts with Russia must begin only after a ceasefire has been established.
As Ignatius points out, the key point of disagreement is precisely the sequence of actions. Kushner seeks to proceed in parallel, whilst the European Union insists that a ceasefire must come first. The journalist adds that dictator Vladimir Putin responded positively to the idea of pan-European security during a meeting on 21 October with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
By contrast, European officials consider Donald Trump’s statements following talks with Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev about the prospect of a "major deal" to be extremely premature.
What led up to this?
It was previously reported that the US, together with its partners, is developing five objectives for a new European security architecture.
