Russian negotiators demanded that Finland leave NATO and that the alliance remove military bases from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania during closed-door negotiations in Abu Dhabi, [i24NEWS] reported.
The far-reaching proposals aim to establish a new European security order by reviving positions first articulated by Moscow before the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, according to a paper circulated by Russian officials and obtained by [nytimes.com]. President Vladimir V. Putin has not altered his core objectives despite more than 20 months of diplomacy by Trump administration envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, the document shows.
Russia Seeks Territory and Nonaligned Status for Ukraine
Under the proposals presented in the United Arab Emirates, Russia would retain all currently occupied Ukrainian territory and take control of the entire Donbas region, including parts of Donetsk and Luhansk still held by Kyiv, according to [i24NEWS] and [Anadolu Ajansı]. Ukraine would remain permanently nonaligned, ruling out NATO membership while keeping European Union membership possible.
Moscow also called for the demilitarization of the Ukrainian ports of Odesa and Mykolaiv, barring them from use as naval bases, while establishing freedom of navigation agreements in the Black and Baltic seas, [i24NEWS] and [Anadolu Ajansı](httpshttps://www.aa.com.tr) reported.
On Moldova, the plan envisions a federal republic comprising Gagauzia and the breakaway region of Transnistria, which could hold independence referendums if Moldova joins the EU, [i24NEWS] and [УНН] noted. In return, Moscow offered to withdraw nuclear weapons and intermediate-range missiles from Belarus and pull its troops out of Transnistria, [i24NEWS] reported.
💬 Russia's DFM Sergey #Ryabkov on the talks in Abu Dhabi: Bringing the Europeans into the talks could undo progress & derail promising efforts. ❗️ I hope those who seek to derail the talks realise the situation on the ground is turning against Kiev.https://t.co/EIcr27B8Y4 pic.twitter.com/Thlwspc4Og
Kremlin Denies Specific Demands as U.S. Plans Mediated Talks
“Russia knows that.” Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied the reports of specific demands in statements to reporters, though he said that Russia remains open to contacts if European governments have authorized representatives, [i24NEWS] and [Yahoo] reported.
U.S. Special Envoy Jared Kushner stated on X that the next round of U.S.-mediated talks will include European partners to discuss postwar European security, following discussions with Putin in Moscow and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Dublin, [i24NEWS] and [Yahoo] reported. Negotiators are also working toward what could be the largest prisoner exchange of the war involving thousands of people, according to [i24NEWS] and [Yahoo].
More on Abu Dhabi
My take on this: Russia is proposing these non-aggression pacts for several reasons: to divide NATO, weaken collective defence and prepare a justification for future aggression. If NATO rejects them, Putin will use that refusal as a pretext to attack the Baltic states. He will…
Focussing on Russia's demands on Europe’s security architecture risks shifting attention away from a ceasefire and walking into Moscow’s trap. While Russia keeps to its maximum demands, we should stick to our own. We have prepared these with EU Foreign Ministers. Europeans… pic.twitter.com/ShVzCFSnM6
NEW: Putin and members of the Russian delegation outlined Russia’s steadfast commitment to its original territorial demands of Ukraine and ultimatums to dismantle NATO and the post-Cold War European security architecture following the latest trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi on… pic.twitter.com/yr7dMAx7Eo
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