Europe rejects Putin’s push to rework regional security architecture — report
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António Costa, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Ursula von der Leyen (Photo: REUTERS/Yves Herman)
European leaders rejected Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s
proposal to discuss rearranging Europe’s security architecture as part of U.S.-led
peace talks on Ukraine, the Financial
Times reported on Nov. 12.
At the same time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
warned allies that the United States and Russia were already discussing the
issue in their bilateral contacts.
U.S. special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner with
Putin in Moscow on Thursday, following talks on Ukraine in Abu Dhabi earlier in
the week. During the meetings, the Russian delegation raised European security
arrangements while refusing to hold talks with European officials.
European Council President António Costa said Europe did not
need to create a new security system because it already had an effective
architecture that Russia destroyed with its invasion of Ukraine.
Zelenskyy said post-war security guarantees received
significant attention during the trilateral talks. He urged European partners
to note that Washington and Moscow were discussing not only Ukraine’s security
but also a possible new model for relations between Europe and Russia.
Russian authorities have repeatedly called for a review of
the continent’s security architecture. Moscow has demanded guarantees that NATO
will not expand, limits on military exercises near Russia’s borders, and the
withdrawal of the alliance’s troops and equipment from its eastern flank.
European capitals view the demands as an attempt by the Kremlin to restore its
sphere of influence and limit the sovereignty of EU and NATO member states.
Putin said that Russia’s proposals for a new security
architecture should be discussed before an agreement is reached on a ceasefire
in Ukraine.
At the same time, three European officials told the
newspaper that concern was growing in European capitals that broader
discussions about the continent’s defense could become a condition for
participation in talks on Ukraine.
Estonian PM Kristen Michal said Europe had fallen into a
“trap” by agreeing to discuss the continent’s security architecture in exchange
for a place at the negotiating table. He said Putin had sought for years to
gain a say over the sovereignty of NATO countries.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Europe should be
prepared to discuss a new security architecture only after Russia agrees to a
peace deal.
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