Susanna Riva The negotiations on Ukraine reiterate the demands Russia had made two months before the invasion, in early 2022. Among these was the withdrawal of NATO troops from positions occupied in 1997, that is, before the alliance's expansion towards Russia's borders. In this week's talks in Abu Dhabi, Russian negotiators reiterated that line, in some passages almost word for word.
A document circulated among Russian officials, dated November 10, calls for NATO to withdraw its forces from its eastern flank, in Poland and the Baltic states . According to the document, European security must be the focus of negotiations on Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly argued that the root causes of the war, namely Russian grievances towards NATO and Kiev, must be resolved before ceasing hostilities.
The Cold War Model
Russian officials in Abu Dhabi view the Cold War and the Warsaw Pact as a model for post-war Europe. They argue that the then-separated spheres of influence, along with the resulting communication channels and agreements, reduced the risk of conflict.
The American interlocutors instead asked the Russian delegation to look to the future.
The document outlines Moscow's initial position. Two people involved in the talks said that some Russian officials present hinted that Putin might still show room for flexibility.
Economic incentives and American pressure
The document notes that the economic incentives proposed to Putin by Donald Trump 's envoys , Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have not yet brought concessions from Moscow.
The talks also discussed a new round of negotiations, which could be held in Abu Dhabi in about two weeks.