Russia demanded NATO return to its 1997 positions during Abu Dhabi talks – NYT

During negotiations in Abu Dhabi, Russian officials presented a document demanding, among other things, that NATO withdraw its forces to the positions they occupied in 1997.

Source: The New York Times

Quote: "In closed-door negotiations with President Trump's envoys this week about how to end the war in Ukraine, the Russians have revived that stance [the demand for NATO troops to withdraw to their 1997 positions – ed.]."

"Moscow's unyielding position was laid out in a paper that Russian officials circulated this week, according to a copy obtained by The New York Times from a person involved in the talks."

Details: The document, whose authenticity was confirmed by another person familiar with the talks, shows that Russian leader Vladimir Putin has barely shifted from his core objectives after more than 20 months of diplomatic efforts by US President Donald Trump's administration.

The document also highlights that the economic incentives offered to Putin by Trump's envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have so far failed to secure concessions from Moscow.

However, although the document reflects Russia's initial negotiating position, Russian officials indicated during the talks that Putin might still be willing to show flexibility, according to two people involved in the negotiations.

Meanwhile, The New York Times noted that Russian officials in Abu Dhabi made it clear that Moscow views the Cold War and the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact, established in 1955, as a model for what postwar Europe should look like.

In particular, Russian representatives are said to have argued in Abu Dhabi that the separate spheres of influence and arrangements between the US and the Soviet Union during that era actually reduced the risk of conflict.

However, according to a New York Times source, Witkoff and Kushner told the Russians that much had changed since late 2021, when Russia had already demanded that NATO return to its 1997 positions. The Americans, who urged the Russians to "look toward the future", are open to new proposals from Moscow that would include concrete steps by Russia to reduce tensions, the source said.

Background:

• Ahead of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia made a series of demands of NATO, including that the Alliance withdraw its troops to the positions they occupied in 1997.
• The Telegraph recently reported, citing diplomatic sources, that Russia might try to use a new round of peace negotiations to secure concessions from NATO.
• Meanwhile, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda believes that Russia's demand for NATO troops to withdraw from the Alliance's eastern flank cannot be met, as Europe's security architecture must remain unchanged.

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