Putin Demands NATO Return to 1997 Borders in Secret Talks

A confidential document obtained by the New York Times reveals that Vladimir Putin demanded NATO withdraw to its 1997 borders and halt military aid to Ukraine during secret talks in Abu Dhabi this week with Donald Trump's envoys. The unsigned "non-paper" echoes Russia's December 2021 ultimatum, calling for an end to NATO expansion and military activity in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. It also demands France and Britain rule out using nuclear weapons to protect other European nations, and conditions Ukraine's EU membership on non-participation in the bloc's defense policy. The document, dated November 10, represents Russia's initial position, with officials signaling Putin may remain flexible. The demands come ahead of a planned Trump-Putin meeting next week in Shenzhen, China, and suggest economic incentives offered by the US have not yielded concessions from Moscow.