European leaders have made clear that the future of the continent's security architecture cannot be decided without them, following a round of peace talks in which Moscow's delegation refused to engage in a multilateral format. The collective pushback came as Russia placed the issue of security architecture at the top of its agenda, a move Europeans see as an attempt to shift focus from the war in Ukraine and reassert Moscow's great-power ambitions.
Speaking at a summit in Dublin, French President Emmanuel Macron was unequivocal: "At the end of the day, we will be the ones to define and decide for our future security as Europeans. I have no doubt about that." He added that Europe must first be clear about what it wants, noting that while support for Ukraine is strong, a concrete vision for a peace plan and future security framework is still needed.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz echoed that sentiment, urging Russia to engage directly with European representatives—something Moscow has so far avoided. The last round of talks in Abu Dhabi included senior officials from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, the European Commission, the European Council, and NATO, but none of them met with the Russian team.
"Ukraine must sit at the table. Europeans must sit at the table. The Americans and, of course, Russia must sit at the table," Merz said upon arrival. "It is important that Russia comes to the table and that Russia is ready for talks."
Sequencing the diplomatic process
EU High Representative Kaja Kallas stressed the importance of "sequencing" the diplomatic process: first a ceasefire in Ukraine, then a peace settlement, and only at the final stage a discussion on European security architecture. She pointed to existing agreements—the 1975 Helsinki Accords, the 1990 Paris Charter, and the 1994 Budapest Memorandum—as the foundation of that architecture. "The problem is that Russia is not keeping to those agreements," she said.
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal described the renewed talk about security architecture as a "trap" set by Moscow to achieve "everything impossible," including the rollback of NATO—a grievance that Russian President Vladimir Putin has long pursued. In the weeks before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin issued an ultimatum demanding NATO halt its eastward expansion and withdraw troops from member states that joined after 1997. Those demands were rejected outright, and shortly afterward Finland and Sweden, historically neutral, applied for membership.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda insisted that negotiations should take place under "fair conditions" and with European presence. "Discussions should be avoided behind the back of the Ukrainians, and, of course, discussions about the future security architecture of Europe should be with the involvement of the European Union," he told reporters.
The pushback came a day after Vladimir Medinsky, Russia's chief negotiator, doubled down on Moscow's interest in broadening the diplomatic scope beyond Ukraine. "The whole organism is ailing, and Ukraine was just a place where an abscess has burst. Therefore, the entire organism must be treated. A simple adhesive bandage will not suffice," he said in Abu Dhabi. Medinsky, however, refused to engage with Europeans due to their military and financial support for Ukraine—though that is not a blanket ban, as Putin held a 90-minute phone call with the leaders of Finland and Norway last month.
The focus on security architecture has been amplified by US President Donald Trump and his special envoy, Jared Kushner, who recently outlined principles for a post-war framework in a social media post that startled Europeans. In Abu Dhabi, Kushner asked Russians to come up with "proposals" for face-to-face discussion with Europeans, and he later flew to Moscow to push for a multilateral format.
As the diplomatic maneuvering continues, European leaders are also watching other developments, including Zelenskyy's planned meeting with US envoys in Dublin and the EU's looming ban on Russian Arctic LNG imports. The message from Europe is consistent: the continent's security is not a matter for others to decide.
