Russia has demanded that NATO retreat to its 1997 borders and halt all military activity in Eastern Europe, including Ukraine, during closed-door negotiations in Abu Dhabi.
The hardline stance was outlined in an unofficial document distributed by Russian officials, according to The New York Times, which obtained a copy through an individual involved in the talks. The authenticity of the document was subsequently confirmed by another source familiar with the proceedings.
The text mirrors demands first made by Moscow in December 2021, just two months before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Vladimir Putin reiterated these positions to U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoys during a meeting in Moscow following the Abu Dhabi sessions.
During the closed-door talks in Abu Dhabi, Russian representatives argued that the Cold War and the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact serve as an ideal model for post-war Europe. They claimed that the spheres of influence from that era actually reduced conflict risks.
In response, U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner told the Russian delegation that much has changed since late 2021 and urged them to look toward the future. However, when the envoys traveled to Moscow, Putin made it clear that the demand for NATO’s withdrawal remains a central pillar of Russia’s security vision.
The Russian demands extend far beyond troop withdrawals. According to NV, Moscow is also calling for a ban on the joint use of nuclear weapons in Europe, a prohibition on the use of French and British nuclear arsenals to protect other allies, and an immediate halt to all Western military supplies to Ukraine.
The document indicates that Russia would only approve Ukraine’s entry into the European Union if Kyiv agrees not to participate in the bloc’s joint defense policies.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk rejected the proposals outright.
“Accepting Russia’s conditions would mean a direct threat to Poland’s security,”
said Donald Tusk, speaking in Dublin and quoted by NV.
Tusk added that the conditions are entirely unacceptable not only for Ukraine, but for Europe as a whole. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda similarly deemed the demand for NATO to pull back from its eastern flank impossible to fulfill.
Despite the wide gulf in positions, Vladimir Medinsky, the head of the Russian delegation at the talks, expressed cautious optimism regarding a potential settlement. When asked by Russian media whether the parties were drawing closer to peace, he replied in the affirmative.
“I think so. Much depends on Ukraine, the position of the United States, and whether Europe comes to its senses. In any case, all our set goals will be achieved,”
said Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation, as reported by Українські Національні Новини (УНН) citing The Guardian.
The two-day talks in Abu Dhabi wrapped up on November 11, with delegations touching upon prisoner exchanges, Black Sea shipping safety, and energy issues, alongside territorial disputes.
