Direct peace talks give Europe control over its security

Negotiators from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States are meeting in Abu Dhabi for their first trilateral peace talks in more than nine months. Following a request from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European Union representatives and European nations will also participate in the negotiations, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has confirmed.

The diplomatic push comes as Washington seeks an end to the war while Kyiv faces pressure regarding potential territorial concessions. Sceptics of a wider table might argue that adding European delegates complicates delicate proceedings that are most efficiently handled directly by the primary belligerents and the United States.

Yet any settlement negotiated without the continent's involvement risks creating an unstable security vacuum. US envoy Jared Kushner highlighted this dimension, noting on social media platform X that a lasting agreement requires direct negotiations between Russia and European countries over future security arrangements.

Europe can only safeguard its borders and economic stability if it acts as a unified diplomatic participant. By sitting at the table in Abu Dhabi as a cohesive block, European nations can ensure they remain partners in constructing regional peace rather than passive observers of their own continent's security structure.