--- title: "\"For Peace or for War\": Moscow Cools US Hopes for European Inclusion in Ukraine Peace Talks" description: "After talks in Abu Dhabi, Moscow downplayed US statements on allowing Europe into Ukraine peace dialogue, questioning the EU's neutrality and its right to participate." date: 2026-11-12T22:26:45.869Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/moscow-cools-us-hopes-for-european-inclusion tags: [russia, ukraine, european-union, peace-talks, diplomacy, jared-kushner, vladimir-putin] author: "Andrey Kosynko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # "For Peace or for War": Moscow Cools US Hopes for European Inclusion in Ukraine Peace Talks ![Vladimir Putin at an official meeting wearing a formal suit in front of a microphone](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/12/moskva-ohladila-nadezhdy-ssha-na-podklyuchenie-evropy-k-dialogu/moskva-ohladila-nadezhdy-ssha-na-podklyuchenie-evropy-k-dialogu-1.webp) ## Key Points - Moscow downplayed US statements on allowing Europe into peace talks after consultations in Abu Dhabi. - Yury Ushakov stated Europeans must decide 'if they are for peace or for war', citing their practical actions. - Putin shifted focus from Ukraine to revising European security architecture, referencing Trump's plan for a 'big, beautiful agreement'. - EU leaders in Dublin rejected security rule revisions without Europe; Zelensky asked for a single special envoy by month's end. - The Kremlin refuses to see Europe as a single negotiator but keeps bilateral channels open with countries like Finland and Norway. Following two days of talks in Abu Dhabi, attended by a European delegation, Russia has attempted to downplay statements by US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner regarding the possible inclusion of Europeans in peace negotiations on Ukraine. Media outlets have noted that Moscow has questioned both the neutrality of the European Union and its very right to participate in the dialogue. The American envoys arrived in Moscow on Thursday immediately after consultations in the United Arab Emirates, where the European team was present but did not participate in the general discussions. ### "Decide whether they are for peace or for war" Jared Kushner directly stated to the Russian side his intention to move toward a multilateral format for further consultations, noting the desire of European countries to facilitate the end of the war in Ukraine. In response, Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov suggested that the Europeans "decide whether they are for peace or for war." "They are striving in every way to join the negotiations, but, as our president said, they must decide whether they want peace or the continuation of the war. So far, all their practical actions testify to the latter," he stated. Thus, Moscow effectively shifted the question of Europe's role to the plane of its own actions, rather than its intentions. ### Military aid as involvement in the conflict Moscow has long interpreted military aid to Kyiv and arms supplies as direct involvement in the conflict, effectively equating the European Union with a warring party. During the meeting, Vladimir Putin shifted the focus of the discussion from Ukraine to the revision of the entire security architecture in Europe, citing US President Donald Trump's plan for a "big, beautiful agreement" that could "cover all of Europe." At the same time, Moscow opposed the deployment of foreign contingents in Ukraine after the end of hostilities—something that, according to media reports, the EU intends to do. Ushakov called such proposals a "recipe for an endless war." ### The American position: Europe must be at the table The Americans, for their part, insisted on involving Europe in discussions on long-term security. Kushner informed the Russian president that the US had already begun a dialogue with European representatives. Thus, Washington advocates for a multilateral format in which the continent will participate in defining the terms of its own security, while Moscow sees this as an attempt to legitimize positions that it considers contrary to its interests. ### Reaction from Brussels and Kyiv Meanwhile, EU leaders at a meeting in Dublin rejected attempts to revise security rules on the continent without European participation, reminding that it was Moscow that violated previous agreements. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called on Russia to engage in a real dialogue, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked EU allies to appoint a single special envoy by the end of the month. These steps indicate the European side's desire to consolidate its negotiating position before a potential inclusion in the multilateral process. ### "Spiders in a jar": bilateral channels instead of a single voice The situation was further complicated by presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov in a comment to the press. He accused the European Union of internal disunity, stating that Europeans are "fighting" among themselves "like spiders in a jar" and have yet to decide on a single negotiator. At the same time, the Kremlin is not closing the door to bilateral contacts with individual states—for example, last month Putin held a 90-minute phone call with the leaders of Finland and Norway—but refuses to perceive Europe as a single and equal participant in negotiations. As a result, the open question remains for diplomats: will Europe be able to form a coordinated position quickly enough for its inclusion in the multilateral format to become a reality rather than a declaration? ## Fact-Check & Sources - [«За мир или за войну»: Москва охладила надежды США на скорое подключение Европы к диалогу](https://ru.euronews.com/2026/11/12/za-mir-ili-za-vojnu-moskva-ohladila-nadezhdy-ssha-na-skoroe-podklyuchenie-evropy-k-dialogu) - Source material: The full text aligns with the basis of the article; quotes from Ushakov, Peskov, Kushner's statements, and the EU/Kyiv reactions are accurately rendered. ## FAQ ### What did Yury Ushakov state about Europe's role in the talks? Ushakov stated that Europeans need to decide 'whether they are for peace or for war' and noted that their practical actions so far suggest the continuation of the war. ### Why is Moscow against the deployment of foreign troops in Ukraine? Moscow termed such proposals a 'recipe for an endless war' and opposes the placement of foreign contingents in Ukraine post-hostilities. ### How did EU leaders react to the security rule revision attempts? At a meeting in Dublin, EU leaders rejected security rule changes without Europe; German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called for a real dialogue, and Zelensky asked for a single special envoy by month's end.