Europe Demands Putin End the War Before Discussing Russia's Security Demands, According to Bloomberg
European countries are demanding that Russia completely end the war against Ukraine before any discussions on the continent’s security begin. The allies consider the Kremlin’s pre-war ultimatums regarding the withdrawal of NATO forces to be unacceptable.
Bloomberg reports this, citing informed sources.
How are Russia’s proposals being received in Europe?
European capitals believe that discussing Moscow’s demands would be pointless as long as Moscow continues its war against Ukraine and violates international treaties.
The main goal of the current security system is to deter the aggressor. That is why European officials consider Vladimir Putin’s pre-war demands regarding NATO’s presence in Eastern Europe to be completely unacceptable.
“We must not seek peace more than Putin does,”
said Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski.
Such an approach risks causing tension in relations with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. The U.S. side seeks to address the European security architecture in tandem with the peace talks in Abu Dhabi, where delegations from the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia are set to meet next week.
What is the U.S. position?
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly expressed understanding of the allies’ priorities: She noted that the White House recognizes the importance of protecting European sovereignty and preserving NATO’s central role in collective security.
At the same time, U.S. Presidential Envoy Jared Kushner wrote on social media that the U.S. aims for practical agreements that will address the security concerns of all parties. Trump’s son-in-law presented his own proposals, which include:
- ongoing consultations on security issues;
- reliable crisis communication;
- greater military transparency;
- mutual measures to reduce the risk of escalation;
- a long-term framework for European security and stability.
This initiative effectively duplicates many of the functions of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which was founded back in 1973.
How does Europe view security guarantees for Ukraine?
One of the key points of contention ahead of the talks remains the future security guarantees for Kyiv to deter a new attack. Allies are considering providing mechanisms similar to NATO’s Article 5, but the Kremlin is categorically opposed to any military presence of Western partners in Ukraine.
European diplomats emphasize that a genuine ceasefire must precede any agreements. At the same time, Vladimir Putin shows no willingness to abandon his claims to Ukraine’s Donbas region.
Europe continues to believe that the Russian dictator is not currently interested in genuine negotiations to end the war. In the coming months, the Kremlin will focus on attempts to break Ukraine’s morale through intensive bombing, even though the occupying forces are not making any advances on the front lines and are suffering record losses.
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski criticized the view expressed by U.S. envoys Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff that the war is solely about territory. He emphasized that Moscow seeks to rebuild the Russian Empire.
“It seems that sometimes more pressure is put on the victim than on the aggressor,”
– Sikorski emphasized.
As a reminder, on Friday, November 6, Ukrainian President warned Europe of the danger d a new security system proposed by Donald Trump. Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that Moscow’s attempts to divide the continent are unacceptable. He compared potential agreements to the outcomes of the 1945 Yalta Conference.