World · Europe · 11 hrs ago
Russia Renews Demand for NATO to Pull Back to 1997 Positions
In talks this week with U.S. envoys, Russia renewed its demand for NATO to pull back to 1997 positions as part of a deal to end the war in Ukraine.
The demand would remove NATO forces and bases from Poland and the Baltic states, which are on the alliance’s eastern flank.
Moscow also wants NATO to stop expanding and Western countries to end military supplies to Ukraine.
Russia first made similar demands in 2021, before its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The Russian proposals also seek limits on European nuclear protection arrangements and on Ukraine’s role in the European Union’s shared defence policy.
The demands put European security at the center of the peace talks and have alarmed countries in NATO’s east; Poland’s prime minister said they were unacceptable and a direct threat to his country.
The U.S. envoys urged Moscow to offer practical steps to reduce tensions, and planned to brief Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after meeting President Vladimir Putin; the talks leave a wide gap between Russia’s position and those of Ukraine and Western governments.
Russia has renewed demands for NATO to pull its forces and bases in eastern Europe back to positions held before the alliance’s 1997 expansion.
A Russian document circulated during closed-door talks this week also calls for halting further NATO expansion and military activity in Ukraine and other areas.
The demands include ending Western arms supplies to Ukraine and restricting some European nuclear-protection arrangements.
The talks involved U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, who urged Russia to offer practical steps to reduce tensions.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that accepting Russia’s demands would directly threaten Poland’s security.
- Who
- Russian officials, U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, and other participants in talks on ending the war in Ukraine.
- What
- Russia renewed demands for NATO to return its forces and bases to pre-1997 positions, alongside other security conditions.
- When
- The demands were set out in a document dated Nov. 10 and circulated during talks this week.
- Where
- The talks were held in Abu Dhabi, according to Okaz; The New York Times describes negotiations with the envoys but does not state their location in the text.
- Why
- Moscow says its security demands must be addressed before it agrees to end the war.
Russia
Poland and other European and Ukrainian critics
NATO presence in eastern Europe
Russia
Russia demands NATO withdraw forces and bases to positions held before its 1997 expansion.
Poland and other European and Ukrainian critics
Tusk warned that accepting Russia’s demands would directly threaten Poland’s security.
Ukraine and NATO
Russia
Russia seeks to halt further NATO expansion and military activity in Ukraine and other areas.
Poland and other European and Ukrainian critics
Tusk said the demands were unacceptable to Ukraine and Europe, especially NATO’s eastern-flank countries.
Russia raised demands for a new security agreement limiting NATO’s military activity and expansion.
The Russian document setting out the demands was dated.
Russian officials circulated the document during closed-door talks with U.S. envoys.
Kushner and Witkoff went to Moscow to meet Putin, then travelled to Dublin to brief Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
- Document date
- Nov. 10, 2026
- NATO pullback
- Positions held before the alliance’s 1997 expansion
- Countries named
- Poland and the Baltic states
- U.S. envoys
- Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff
- Talks location
- Abu Dhabi, according to Okaz
3 sources
What people are saying
unacceptable to Ukraine and Europe, especially the alliance’s eastern-flank countries
root causes