The talks in Abu Dhabi demonstrate that the Ukraine peace process is finally moving in the right direction. Whether it will reach its goal is of course another matter.

Firstly, the U.S. negotiating team has introduced to the talks the critical issue of a future European security architecture. President Trump has written of the need for a "very big, beautiful agreement that might involve all of Europe."

As Jared Kushner wrote before the talks:

“For more than 30 years, Europe and Russia have struggled to establish a sustainable security framework. Decades of mistrust, competing security concerns, and the devastating consequences of this war make this an extraordinarily difficult challenge, but one that is essential to lasting peace.

Our objective is to develop practical arrangements that address the security concerns of all sides, reduce the risk of future conflict, and create a more stable and predictable security environment.

We are exploring five principal goals: permanent security consultations, reliable crisis communications, greater military transparency, reciprocal measures to reduce escalation risks, and an enduring framework for long-term European security and stability.”

These words produced a neuralgic reaction among many Europeans, but in fact Kushner followed them up with a qualification which, if insisted upon, will also be categorically rejected by Moscow: