Moscow has demanded that the Atlantic alliance return to its 1997 troop levels, according to a document reviewed by the New York Times and reported by Blick on Friday.
The confidential paper was presented by the Russian negotiating delegation during peace talks in Abu Dhabi. Two independent sources confirmed the existence of the document to Blick. Yuri Ushakov, a Kremlin adviser, affirmed on Thursday that this constitutes official Russian negotiating strategy. Furthermore, Moscow demands a renunciation of alliance expansion, no stationing of “threatening weapon systems” near the Russian border, and a return to the alliance troop strength of 1997.
The proposal would require countries such as Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and the Baltic states to leave the alliance. The entire eastern flank would lie open under the plan, with consequences described as drastic.
“[The proposals are] monstrous,” Antti Häkkänen told SRF on Friday, describing the Kremlin demands.
In addition to scaling back the alliance, the document demands that Western nations halt all weapons shipments to Ukraine. It also insists on permanent neutrality for Kyiv enshrined in the Ukrainian constitution.
The Russian regime’s document also demands the handover of the Donbas. It also states that France and Great Britain should no longer be permitted to defend Europe with nuclear weapons.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskow denied reports that Finland’s 2023 accession to the alliance would be reversed. “I know nothing about it,” Peskow said on Friday, according to Interfax. “No, such a demand was not made.”
Forty states signed a declaration on European security principles, establishing a negotiating team rather than a single representative. Several EU politicians emphasized on Friday that one must not fall into the Kremlin’s “trap,” noting that Putin only wants to make Europeans argue about trivial matters to distract from the fact that he could end the killing instantly.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also rejected the Kremlin’s framework during Friday discussions. “We will not build a new architecture just because the President of Russia or someone from the United States wishes it—that is out of the question,” Tusk told Neue Zürcher Zeitung.
António Costa and other European officials maintain that the E-3 format involving Great Britain, France, and Germany will coordinate security guarantees for Ukraine.
The document demands the withdrawal of all alliance troops and the dissolution of military bases across Eastern Europe. This would return the military footprint to its 1997 deployment status.
Several EU leaders warned against falling into Moscow’s trap of debating a redesigned security architecture while the conflict continues. Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal asked, “Does anyone really believe that Europe poses a threat to Russia? […] That is simply nonsense,” emphasizing that the alliance is a defensive one.
The E-3 format, consisting of Great Britain, France, and Germany, is steering the discussions on security guarantees for Kyiv, alongside broader coordination from the European Union.
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