Europe alarmed as Trump hints at a wide security deal with Russia covering the continent

A late Thursday meeting at the White House

On Thursday, 5 November 2026, Donald Trump met Kirill Dmitriev, a senior Russian official and one of Vladimir Putin's envoys to the talks, at the White House. Afterwards the US president told reporters that an agreement was coming, that it would be a large one, and that it could reach well beyond Ukraine. He described the scope this way:

“It's going to involve more than Ukraine, and I could even say it might involve all of Europe.”

Several hours later, Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and envoy, posted on X that Washington was working on practical arrangements to meet the security concerns of every side. He also named a lasting framework for long-term security and stability in Europe as a goal. Earlier Kushner had spoken of a large deal for Ukraine, so the broader ambitions now attributed to the talks caught European governments off guard.

What the proposal contains

Kushner set out five goals for the arrangement: regular security consultations, dependable crisis communication, greater military transparency, reciprocal steps to reduce escalation risks, and a durable framework for European security. The plan has been described as opaque, and according to three alliance diplomats NATO allies were not briefed on it in advance. Kushner and US special envoy Steve Witkoff have increased their contacts with Kyiv, Moscow and selected European capitals ahead of planned talks.

European capitals push back

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Friday, 6 November, that Europe already had a security architecture, with NATO and the European Union each holding its own role. She insisted Ukraine must be integrated into that structure, and added:

“Putin does not have a veto over European security.”

A spokesperson for the European Commission said on Friday that the EU should decide on matters affecting its own security. An unnamed European official called Kushner's message a complete surprise and said there would be no parallel negotiations on European security while the war in Ukraine continues. That official added that European partners understood what Russia meant by such talks and did not intend to accept them. People familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that European nations want Russia to end its war before any discussion of Moscow's security concerns for the continent.

Ukraine and open questions

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has acknowledged for the first time that answers to Russian security concerns could become part of a peace settlement, but only with Europe involved. He said security guarantees for Russia would mean changing the security framework in Europe and the world. He also warned that any rollback of NATO would be a sign of weakness for the alliance. European officials stressed that the alliance's future is off the table, with one saying there had been absolutely no talk of it. NATO diplomats argued that discussing the future architecture with Moscow now would only let the Kremlin strengthen its case. The next step, including when US talks with Moscow will take place, remains unclear.