Putin Wants to Force NATO to Return to Its 1997 Borders — The Telegraph

Russia may use negotiations to end the war in Ukraine to secure a reduction in NATO’s military presence in Eastern Europe and a return of the alliance to its 1997 positions.

The Telegraph reports this, citing sources in Western diplomatic circles. 

 According to them, the Kremlin is proposing to involve European representatives in the peace process, but Moscow’s true goal is allegedly to renegotiate NATO’s military presence near Russia’s borders.

Among Russia’s demands, according to the publication, is the withdrawal of troops and weapons from Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Finland, and Estonia. Western diplomats, it is noted, are not prepared to agree to such concessions.

Sources speaking to The Telegraph also believe that Moscow seeks to limit Ukraine’s de facto sovereignty. In their view, these demands could complicate the negotiations scheduled for November in Abu Dhabi, involving the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia.

Russia had already demanded that NATO’s military infrastructure be rolled back to its 1997 positions in December 2021, shortly before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Source: The Telegraph

Negotiations to resolve the war in Ukraine are scheduled to take place in the first half of November in Abu Dhabi in a trilateral format involving Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia. 

Moscow’s hopes of quickly subduing Ukraine with the help of U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration did not materialize due to the firm stance of European countries. This was stated by the Russian dictator’s aide, Yuri Ushakov.

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin complained about Western sanctions against Russia, calling them “nonsense” and acknowledging their significant impact on the aggressor country.