Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov expressed the view that Europe should be included in negotiations between representatives of Moscow, Kyiv and Washington. In his words, the continent will play a key role in finalising any agreement. This position appears unexpected, as the Russians previously tried to keep the EU from such involvement.
The real aim of involving Europe
However, diplomatic circles who informed The Telegraph claim that the Kremlin's intentions are of a different nature. Russia expects to use the next round to extract concessions regarding NATO expansion.
Essentially, these demands mean depriving Ukraine of its sovereignty and forcing NATO to retreat eastwards. Presumably, Putin will demand that NATO's presence in Europe be reduced to the 1997 level, i.e. before countries from the former Eastern Bloc began joining the Alliance.
Potential security implications
Implementing such a scenario could involve the withdrawal of NATO military units from Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland. It is worth noting that all five of these states share borders with Russia.
The Kremlin is pessimistic about the prospects for a ceasefire. However, it seems Putin was brought back to the negotiating table by two things: the proposal to discuss his demands and Washington's decision to lift sanctions on Russian fuel exports.
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