Moscow demands that NATO pull its troops back to positions held in 1997, reviving Cold War demands during multilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi on November 13, according to UNITED24 Media.
The proposal resurfaced in closed-door talks between Russian leader Vladimir Putin and US presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. American diplomats told The New York Times that Moscow wants to return to a 1946-to-1991 security framework.
Witkoff and Kushner challenged the proposal by pointing to shifting international security conditions. However, Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov described the initiative as a foundation for indivisible security.
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Eastern European Military Withdrawal
Russia’s circulating paper requires allied forces to leave 16 member states, including Poland and the Baltic countries, according to UNITED24 Media. The demands also seek to halt military activities in Central Asia, the South Caucasus, Finland, and Moldova.
German newspaper BILD reported that the proposals include a ban on allied bases in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, as cited by Anadolu Ajansı. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later denied that Russia demanded Finland’s withdrawal, according to the Kyiv Post.
Putin is floating ideas for redrawing Europe's security order. In his dreams, he sees himself at Yalta in 1945. The problem is, to propose ideas on that scale, you first need to win a world war. Last time I checked, Russia had spent four years and eight months "nearly capturing"… pic.twitter.com/uatpa85qUs
For Ukraine, the Kremlin demands that Kyiv abandon NATO membership bids, surrender Donetsk and Luhansk, and accept military limits. BILD said that Odesa and Mykolaiv would be demilitarized and barred from use as naval bases.
International Political Reactions
US Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton called further talks with Russia “a farce” on November 14, writing on X that Putin proved he is not serious about a negotiated peace, as reported by Euromaidan Press.
There are offers you can't refuse, offers you can negotiate, and offers you have no choice but to refuse. The latter are made by those who have absolutely no intention of negotiating. This is one of them. Russia has no interest in negotiations whatsoeverhttps://t.co/7NDXIrR6aO
“Putin has proved once again that he’s not serious about a negotiated peace. Further talks are a farce at this point,” said Tom Cotton.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said that a ceasefire must precede any discussions on broader security architecture. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney added that European security will be decided by Europe and NATO rather than Russia.
Frequent Security Questions
What did Russia demand regarding NATO?
Moscow circulated a proposal demanding that NATO withdraw its forces and military infrastructure back to the 1997 posture across 16 member states, including Poland and the Baltic nations. The plan also seeks to halt alliance activities in Ukraine, Central Asia, and the South Caucasus.
Who represented the United States in Abu Dhabi?
President Trump’s presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner participated in the multilateral negotiations and discussed the proposals with Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
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What territory does Moscow want in Ukraine?
The Kremlin demands that Kyiv surrender the entirety of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, abandon NATO aspirations, and accept permanent non-alignment alongside military restrictions.
BILD stressed that the reported plan is only one of several proposals circulating in informal negotiating circles, and it remains unclear which, if any, of the proposals Russian President Vladimir Putin personally supports, according to the Kyiv Post.
Earlier coverage: Russia Demands NATO Return to Its 1997 Troop Levels
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