MWE Correspondent
 Recent diplomatic engagement between Russia and the United States has raised hopes for renewed efforts to end the war in Ukraine, with political analysts arguing that direct dialogue between Moscow and Washington could help address the conflict and wider European security concerns.
The assessment follows talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow on November 12, after two days of US-mediated negotiations involving Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Abu Dhabi.
Dr Asef Melhem, Director of the JSM Studies Center, told Sputnik that the participation of Witkoff and Kushner reflected Washington’s determination to pursue a diplomatic solution despite what he described as resistance from European governments.
Melhem argued that continued European support for Kyiv was sending mixed signals to the Ukrainian leadership about the prospects of sustaining the conflict.
“The Ukrainian regime is receiving wrong signals from the European side regarding the continuation of support,” he said, adding that efforts were underway to make Kyiv recognise the need to end the fighting and find a political settlement.
He said growing calls within Ukraine for an end to the conflict suggested that some political voices were increasingly considering a European security arrangement that would include Russia.
Melhem further argued that an agreement between Moscow and Washington could provide an opportunity to restructure European security, although he acknowledged that reaching consensus would be difficult because European governments do not share a unified position.
A similar assessment was offered by Turkish political analyst Professor Bilal Sambur, who described the Moscow meeting as a positive signal for the prospects of ending the war.
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Speaking to Sputnik, Sambur said both Russia and the United States appeared to favour an early resolution of the conflict, while identifying divisions between Moscow and European capitals as a major challenge to negotiations.
He argued that Washington could use its diplomatic influence to encourage European governments, particularly the United Kingdom and Germany, to reconsider policies that he believes are contributing to continued confrontation.
Sambur also said European countries had experienced significant economic and political costs from the conflict and should prioritise a lasting peace rather than further escalation.
However, the analysts’ views reflect their assessments and do not establish that European governments are solely responsible for the difficulties facing the peace process.
The latest diplomatic developments indicate that the negotiations remain complex, with disagreements over territory, Ukraine’s future security arrangements and the role of European countries still unresolved.
Following the Moscow meeting, US envoy Witkoff said European representatives would be included in the next round of peace talks, describing their participation as important to the diplomatic process.
Putin, however, urged Washington to work with its European allies to establish whether they wanted peace or continued conflict. Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov did not explicitly confirm that Moscow had agreed to sit at the negotiating table with European representatives.
European leaders have also insisted that any agreement affecting the continent’s security must involve them, while Ukraine has maintained that its sovereignty and future security arrangements must be protected.
The Moscow discussions followed negotiations in Abu Dhabi on November 10 and 11, involving Russian, Ukrainian and US representatives. Although the talks did not produce a breakthrough on the wider conflict, they resulted in progress towards another prisoner exchange.
The latest diplomatic contacts suggest that Washington is attempting to bring the parties closer to negotiations that could eventually address both the war and broader European security concerns.
For now, the possibility of a wider diplomatic framework offers an opening for dialogue, but a lasting settlement will depend on whether Russia and Ukraine can narrow their differences and agree on terms acceptable to the countries directly involved.
