Security guarantees for Ukraine: Rubio sees progress, but there is no plan yet

Security guarantees for Ukraine after the war are one of the topics of the three-way talks between the United States, Russia and Ukraine, which opened in Abu Dhabi on 10 November and are scheduled to run until the 11th. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there has been some progress on the post-war security architecture, but he also made clear that a final plan has not yet been agreed.¹² According to the Guardian, these are the first substantial negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv since February. The United States says it is aiming for a “definitive end” to the conflict.³

What Rubio said before the talks

On Sunday Rubio explained that in all contacts with Russia and Ukraine the need for security guarantees, both for Ukraine and for the rest of the European continent, has come up again and again. He added that President Donald Trump alludes to the progress made on what this architecture might look like once the conflict is over.¹ Asked about the possibility of NATO-style guarantees (NATO being the Western military alliance), Rubio replied: “I don’t think we have defined a final concrete plan.” He said concepts have been discussed and that the issue remains central because it is decisive for ending the war: there must be an understanding that Ukraine will feel safe afterwards.² Rubio also stated that the guarantees must be acceptable to Russia, otherwise they would not work. On the possibility of formalizing them in a treaty he ruled nothing out, but said that it has not yet been discussed at that level of detail, and he recalled how difficult it is to get approval from the Senate.² The Secretary of State made clear that the United States is not a party to the war and can only act as a facilitator and propose ideas, without being able to guarantee an agreement.²

Who is taking part in the negotiations

For the United States, the envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, are at the table. The Kremlin has announced it is sending high-level diplomats and military officials.¹² Europe is also present, with officials from national governments, NATO and the European Union, as a senior EU diplomat confirmed to the Kyiv Independent. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said France will be there, without saying who will represent it.¹² Paul Taylor, in a commentary in the Guardian, argues that Europe has been relegated to a side room, represented by officials from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the EU and NATO.⁴

What are security guarantees?

In Rubio’s words, they are the commitments and structures that should make Ukraine feel safe after the war. The Secretary of State links them to the idea of a security “architecture” for Ukraine and Europe and considers them essential for Kyiv to accept a deal.¹² For now, their concrete form has not been defined: on the idea of guarantees similar to NATO’s, Rubio said there is no final plan, and on a treaty, that it has not been discussed in detail.² According to the Guardian, for these talks the United States has put on the table a proposal for a “long-term security architecture” between Moscow and Europe.³

The first day and Kyiv’s caution

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the first day as constructive and substantial. Speaking from Copenhagen, he said he sees changes in the messages from the American envoys and that he is very pleased with what he hears.⁵⁶ Zelensky said the topics also included defining a new security architecture for Europe, an idea revived the same day by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. For Zelensky the issue is “very difficult”: he said everyone is cautious because no one understands 100% what he wants, and that no one has seen the documents the Americans are said to have discussed with the Russians.⁵ Zelensky also rejected Moscow’s statements about advances in the Donbas, saying that Putin “lives in a different reality.” Euronews reports that on the table, besides security guarantees, there is a prisoner exchange.⁷⁸ Before the talks Trump had told CBS that he believes the war will end soon and that Ukraine will come out of it in a “slightly different shape.” Asked whether Putin is just stringing him along, he answered no.¹

This article was written by artificial intelligence from the sources cited, without human review. Automatic newsroom by Redazia.

Sources

Footnotes

1. Ukraine war briefing: post war ‘security guarantees’ a key focus in upcoming Abu Dhabi talks, says Rubio, Latest news, sport and opinion from the Guardian, 2026-11-09 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

2. Security guarantees for Ukraine must also be acceptable to Russia, Rubio says, The Kyiv Independent, 2026-11-10 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸

3. US officials seek ‘final end’ to Russia-Ukraine war as Abu Dhabi talks begin, The Guardian · World, 2026-11-10 ↩ ↩²

4. Trump could be about to sell out Ukraine. Europe must get its act together, fast | Paul Taylor, Latest news, sport and opinion from the Guardian, 2026-11-11 ↩

5. Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says he is pleased with messages from US envoys on diplomatic efforts to end war, The Korea Herald, 2026-11-11 ↩ ↩²

6. Ukraine’s Zelenskyy ‘happy’ with US envoys’ approach as Russia talks enter second day – Europe live, The Guardian · World, 2026-11-11 ↩

7. Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy says Putin ‘lives in a different reality’ as Abu Dhabi talks get under way, Latest news, sport and opinion from the Guardian, 2026-11-11 ↩

8. Europe Today: Ukraine peace talks continue in Abu Dhabi after ‘constructive’ first day, euronews, 2026-11-11 ↩