EU Forms Negotiating Team as US Probes NATO Trade-off
European leaders established a joint negotiating team for Ukraine peace talks as the United States explores a potential trade-off of NATO membership for troop withdrawals.
European Union leaders established a joint negotiating team on November 13, 2026, to participate in U.S.-mediated peace talks regarding the conflict in Ukraine. The team, consisting of EU institutions and representatives from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Poland, was formed following a summit in Dublin. The move follows meetings in Moscow between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.
Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that the United States has inquired whether Ukraine would withdraw troops from parts of the eastern Donbas region in exchange for NATO membership. This suggests a potential shift in the position of President Donald Trump, who previously opposed Kyiv's entry into the alliance. Zelensky stated that while no concrete proposal exists, Ukraine will not commit to neutrality or recognize occupied territories as Russian.
Russia has remained ambiguous regarding European participation in the talks. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow will decide on the EU's role only after assessing the willingness of European governments to contribute to the peace process. President Putin expressed skepticism toward pan-European security arrangements, suggesting that troop deployments following a peace deal would create a vicious circle.
In response, the European Commission is preparing a 22nd package of sanctions against Russia and a financing proposal for Ukraine. European officials argue that their involvement is essential for the implementation of any agreement, given their role in maintaining sanctions and freezing Russian assets.
