Russia Demands Finland Leave NATO in Abu Dhabi Talks, Kremlin Denies

Reports indicate Russia has made maximalist demands in Abu Dhabi negotiations, including removing Finland from NATO and partitioning Moldova, as conditions to end the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin has denied these claims, which were published by German outlet Bild. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged the US to stop surprising European allies and work as a team, expressing concern over a potential bilateral meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on November 19 in Shenzhen. European officials remain apprehensive about Russia's positions on a new European security architecture. Negotiations are set to continue with a new format involving EU and E5 representatives, though it remains unclear if Europe will sit at the same table as the US and Russia. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen assured unity, while Merz referenced the 1975 Helsinki accords, noting Russia destroyed the existing peace order.