Integrating Russia into a Western security framework may sound almost treacherous as the war in Ukraine rages on. After three years of brutal conflict, the notion of engaging with Moscow, let alone incorporating it into a broader European security structure, is anathema to many in the West.

But security is built on pragmatism, not emotions. If the goal is to prevent future wars and ensure long-term stability, then difficult, even unpalatable, discussions must take place. The best time to negotiate with Russia was three years ago. The next best time is today.

The planned U.S.-Russia negotiations in Saudi Arabia, initiated by President Trump, are likely to deliver an outcome that could have been reached before February 2022: a neutral Ukraine and an implicit understanding that it will not join NATO. Any deal now will likely involve Ukraine conceding territories that Russia has seized.

When it comes to Russia’s role in the broader Western security order, the longer the West delays a dialogue with Russia, the higher the chances of another conflict.

Of course, Russia’s actions — especially its full-scale invasion of Ukraine — have severely undermined trust. The annexation of Crimea in 2014 and Moscow’s open contempt for Ukraine’s sovereignty mean that any reintegration into a Western security framework must come with strict conditions.

However, an........

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