Putin seeks to use Ukraine talks to weaken NATO

A new stage of peace consultations regarding Ukraine could become a tool for pressuring the North Atlantic Alliance. According to information obtained by The Telegraph from diplomatic sources, Russia may use this process to achieve a reduction in NATO's military presence in Europe.

Demands to revert to 1997 borders

Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely to demand that the level of the Alliance's military presence in the region be reduced to 1997 indicators. This date symbolises the period before the accession of former Eastern Bloc countries to NATO. Such demands would potentially affect Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Finland, as all these states share borders with Russia.

Europe's role and Moscow's motivation

Russian President's Assistant for Foreign Policy Yuri Ushakov stated that European countries must be involved in the negotiations, as they play a key role in reaching final agreements. However, according to The Telegraph's diplomatic sources, Moscow's real aim is to use Europe's participation to advance its own demands regarding limiting NATO expansion. Previously, Putin had called the Alliance's expansion one of the "root causes" of the war against Ukraine.

Prospects for trilateral consultations

The publication's information indicates that Russia has agreed to hold trilateral technical negotiations between the US, Ukraine, and Russia, scheduled for next month in Abu Dhabi. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted that he does not expect the war to end as a result of a single meeting. He identified limited agreements as possible goals of the negotiations, particularly in the areas of energy, grain exports, and prisoner exchanges.

It is worth noting that previous rounds of negotiations did not lead to a ceasefire. Moscow continues to insist on territorial concessions from Ukraine, particularly in the Donbas. According to diplomatic sources, the position of European countries regarding Russia's demands to reduce NATO's military presence remains unchanged.

Previously, Volodymyr Zelensky held the first round of negotiations with representatives of Donald Trump — Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who arrived in Kyiv for the first time in their capacity as American negotiators.