Russian President Vladimir Putin intends to use negotiations over Ukraine to demand that NATO return to its 1997 borders, according to The Telegraph.
A diplomatic source told The Telegraph that the Kremlin leader had deliberately raised the issue of European involvement in the trilateral talks between the US, Ukraine and Russia. Moscow is thus reportedly seeking to put NATO’s post-1997 expansion, which it regards as “the root cause of the war,” back on the agenda.
The publication recalls remarks by Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov on Europe’s participation in the negotiations. Ushakov also spoke of a “peacekeeping force” made up of European troops that would ensure compliance with an agreement. He added that the agreement had not yet been signed because the United States had failed to exert sufficient influence on Ukraine, which was why Europe should be brought into the talks.
According to The Telegraph, Russia will raise the issue of “the broader context of post-war security arrangements in Europe”. The subject could be discussed at the next round of talks between the delegations, scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi.
If Russia’s demands were accepted, NATO’s military presence in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Finland could be significantly affected. These countries rely on cooperation with the Alliance and its security guarantees in the face of Russian threats.
According to the diplomatic source cited by The Telegraph, the Kremlin has begun pressing for European participation in the trilateral talks between the United States, Ukraine and Russia specifically to broaden the discussions to include the future of Europe’s security architecture.
The publication’s analysts believe Putin returned to the negotiating table after US President Donald Trump decided to lift some of the sanctions against Russia, allowing Russian diesel to be sold on the global market and the shadow fleet to operate. Diplomats who spoke to journalists on condition of anonymity insisted that Europe remains as “resolute” as it was in February 2022 and rejects all of Moscow’s demands.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also rejected Putin’s demands, the publication notes. The alliance did, however, agree to discuss the Kremlin’s “concerns,” but categorically rejects “the withdrawal of troops and nuclear weapons from the former Soviet republics.”
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