Putin demands Britain and France rule out nuclear defence of Europe for Ukraine peace

Russia is demanding that Britain and France pledge not to use their nuclear arsenals to defend European allies as a condition for ending the war in Ukraine, according to a confidential document obtained by the New York Times. The demand challenges a core pillar of NATO's deterrence strategy. The document, dated 10 November, also calls for NATO forces to withdraw from Eastern Europe and for an end to Western weapons deliveries to Ukraine. Moscow's proposals revive demands first made in December 2021, and include guarantees that Kyiv will not join NATO. Britain has rejected the demand, reaffirming its commitment to defend allies under any circumstances. European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, have insisted that no decisions on European security will be made without European participation, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that reopening the security debate could serve Moscow's objectives.