Kremlin refuses to comment on Trump's announcement of an 'anticipated major deal' on Ukraine and European security

Russia expressed reservations on Friday about commenting on U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks regarding a “major deal” that could extend beyond a settlement of the conflict in Ukraine to encompass all of Europe.

The comments came during a press briefing by Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the Russian Presidential Administration, who stated that there were no details regarding the agreement mentioned by the U.S. president, adding that Moscow had not received any proposals from European countries concerning security arrangements related to a potential settlement of the Ukrainian conflict.

Peskov added that discussing the future of Europe’s security architecture and ensuring mutual security guarantees between Russia and Ukraine would require dialogue with European parties “at some stage,” noting that European countries had not yet identified a single entity capable of speaking on their behalf in such discussions.

He emphasized in this context the necessity of involving European countries in any future discussions regarding mutual security guarantees and the establishment of a new European security architecture.

President Trump had announced that he expected to reach a “major deal” concerning the war in Ukraine, which could extend its scope to cover the entire European continent, following a meeting at the White House with Kirill Dmitriev, the special envoy to the Russian President.

Trump’s remarks coincided with intensive U.S. diplomatic efforts, including a meeting in Brussels between U.S. and Ukrainian officials and representatives of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and European partners to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine and the future of Europe’s security architecture.

In this context, U.S. envoy Jared Kushner said the discussions covered five main pillars: establishing permanent security consultations, enhancing communication channels during crises, increasing military transparency, adopting reciprocal measures to mitigate escalation risks, and developing a long-term framework for security and stability in Europe.

The UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, is scheduled to host a new round of trilateral talks between the United States, Russia, and Ukraine on November 10 and 11, as part of efforts to reach a settlement to the conflict in Ukraine, which has been ongoing since February 2022.

These developments come as Moscow and Kyiv remain far apart on the conditions for ending the war and the security guarantees required for the post-settlement period, amid Ukrainian and European concerns that any U.S.-Russian understandings could lead to decisions regarding Europe’s security future without full participation from the relevant parties.