FIVE YEARS OF WAR
Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed since Russia invaded in February 2022, in what has become Europe’s worst conflict since World War II.
Millions more have fled the fighting in eastern and southern Ukraine, large swathes of which have been destroyed by relentless aerial bombardments.
Russia is demanding Ukraine withdraw from parts of eastern Ukraine it still controls, and wants a sweeping deal on “Europe’s security architecture” as part of any agreement to halt the war.
That is widely seen as a reference to Moscow’s long-standing demands to push back the NATO military alliance in eastern Europe, and end Western military support to Kyiv.
Kyiv says a ceasefire must come before any discussions on territory and has called for a direct meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin to discuss the biggest issues.
Putin has ruled that out. The Kremlin has flippantly invited Zelenskyy to Moscow if he wants to meet the ex-KGB spy.
EUROPEAN SECURITY
Kushner said the talks had helped, but declined to say on what areas the two sides may be able to agree.
“Some areas we see places where we can find compromises, others we need to have more discussions, but I think this was a good first step,” he told reporters.
He also urged Europe to “identify one person to speak on their behalf” in the negotiations.
Europe has been rattled by US President Donald Trump’s proposal for a deal with Russia on rewriting European post-war security, worrying that Washington will force Kyiv to accept a peace that heavily rewards Moscow.
Kushner on Tuesday said the United States hoped to “create a new framework” of security between Ukraine, Russia and Europe that will secure “decades, if not centuries, of peace”.
Ukraine has insisted Russia end hostilities before any discussion on a future security arrangement for Europe, and warned against a “Yalta 2.0” carving up of the continent.
A Russian delegation source had said that settling the war was “merely one item on the agenda”, and that Moscow’s main objective was reviewing security “for the entire continent”.
In a joint statement, the Europeans, Ukraine, the United States and NATO reaffirmed their “shared commitment to a strong post-war European security architecture”.
Kyiv has also pushed for post-war military support.
A senior Ukrainian source told AFP Ukraine wanted at least 10 years of financial support to sustain an 800,000-strong army able to defend any Russian attack.
Trump hinted before the talks that Kyiv might have to give up land, saying: “They’re going to end up with a little bit different shape.”
