Europe Opposes US Efforts To Rewrite 'Security Architecture' With Russia Deal

Europe pushed back Friday on any US efforts to rewrite the continent's "security architecture" as part of a potential agreement with Russia to end the war in Ukraine.US President Donald Trump on Thursday predicted a "very big" deal with Moscow involving not only Ukraine but "all of Europe", in remarks likely to fuel fresh fears of a pivot towards the Kremlin.At the same time, his envoy and son-in-law Jared Kushner said Washington was working on "a broader European security architecture" ahead of mediating talks next week between Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi.That suggestion has set alarm bells ringing for US allies in Europe who have long rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin's desire to overhaul the arrangements underpinning Europe's security."We already have a European security architecture in place," European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told journalists in Warsaw."The problem remains that Russia keeps breaking the treaties that underpin it. NATO posed no threat to Russia in 2021, and it poses no threat to Russia at the moment. Putin does not have a veto over European security."She added that "any agreement, in order to be implemented, will require the European Union to be part of it."Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski echoed her, saying "an arrangement about the future of Ukraine and of Europe above our heads would not just be unwise. It is actually impossible."His Ukrainian counterpart Andriy Sybiga insisted that Moscow "cannot be the security guarantor for the European continent"."We have to talk about protecting ourselves against Russia, not talking with Russians about spheres of influence in Europe," he said.'Concerns Of All'After its efforts largely stalled, the United States has renewed its push to end the fighting in Ukraine in recent weeks.Representatives from Washington met officials from NATO, the EU and major European powers in Brussels for two days of meetings this week ahead of the Abu Dhabi talks.After participating by video link, Kushner wrote online that the United States was working on "a broader European security architecture that can help establish the conditions for lasting peace".He said Washington's "objective is to develop practical arrangements that address the security concerns of all sides".Before launching the war in Ukraine in 2022, the Kremlin delivered an ultimatum to NATO on Europe's security arrangements which included a demand that the alliance's troops be withdrawn from eastern Europe.That was rejected by the Western military alliance.Speaking earlier, an EU spokeswoman said that despite Trump's comments "a lot of work" was still needed for peace in Ukraine and the bloc would decide on its own security matters.A NATO spokeswoman said Ukraine's allies are working for a "just and sustainable" end to the war.Europe has long been seeking to play a bigger role in the US-led push to end the fighting.Kushner said Washington would "consult closely with our European partners on the sidelines" of the Abu Dhabi talks and "if progress is made, aim to move toward a broader multilateral format with their direct participation".(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)