Trump floats pan-European security pact after meeting Russian envoy

President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he expects to finalize a "big, beautiful" security agreement that could involve the entirety of Europe. The president made the remarks after meeting with Kirill Dmitriev, a top Russian envoy and the sanctioned chief executive of Russia's sovereign wealth fund. Trump told reporters the deal would extend beyond Ukraine, stating, "It’s going to be a very big. It’s going to involve more than Ukraine, and I could even say it might involve all of Europe. It’s going to be a big, beautiful agreement, and everyone’s going to be thrilled." He provided no further details on the structure of the pact.

The announcement followed a phone call between Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, a key supporter of Ukraine. A German government official said the new ideas are based on months of prior negotiations but declined to share specifics. NATO spokesperson Allison Hart confirmed that representatives from the alliance, the United States, Ukraine, and the European Union met in Brussels on Thursday. Hart said the discussions aimed to advance a sustainable end to the war but refused to disclose the agenda. These talks are scheduled to precede a trilateral meeting between the United States, Ukraine, and Russia in Abu Dhabi next week.

Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law, posted a statement on X supporting the need for a broader European security architecture. He argued that the framework would address concerns for all sides and reduce the risk of future conflict. Kushner noted that Europe and Russia have struggled to establish a stable security framework for over 30 years. He also called for greater military transparency and reciprocal measures to reduce escalation risks between Moscow and Europe. He did not mention the Russian invasion or the hybrid attacks Europe has attributed to Russia.

European officials responded with confusion regarding the specifics of the proposed deal. Several officials with knowledge of the conflict told CNN they did not know what Trump was referring to. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was aware of a potential new security framework after a Thursday phone call with US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Kushner. Zelensky warned that a deal between Russia and Europe would not be simple and could be dangerous. "For me, it’s not simple and it can be dangerous," Zelensky said, adding that discussions to end the war must come before security guarantees.

Dmitriev attended a White House event on Thursday organized by first lady Melania Trump to mark a recent ceasefire in the occupied Ukrainian village of Oleshky. Trump said he did not meet with the Ukrainian delegation during his time with Dmitriev. The president has renewed his push for a negotiated end to the war following a public dispute with Zelensky. The conflict is now in its fifth year, with Russia continuing to attack Ukrainian civilians. In one attack earlier this week, Russian forces dropped nine bombs on an underground shelter where people were collecting humanitarian aid, killing at least 53 people.

Vladimir Putin continues to demand maximalist terms, including Russian control of Ukraine's entire eastern Donbas region and a reduction in the size of Ukraine's military. He also wants Kyiv to abandon its goal of joining NATO. Kyiv views these demands as red lines that indicate Moscow is not serious about a peace deal. The next major diplomatic step is the trilateral meeting scheduled for next week in Abu Dhabi.