Russia Reintroduces 1997 NATO Troop Withdrawal Demand in Ukraine Talks

Two months before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, Moscow proposed demands including the withdrawal of NATO troops from positions held in 1997, before the alliance expanded toward Russia's borders. Russian officials have now reintroduced this position in negotiations this week, in some cases verbatim, according to the New York Times. The document, dated November 10, was circulated by Russian officials and obtained by the Times. It places European security at the center of Ukraine talks, clarifying Putin's goal behind his public statements that the war's "root causes" must be addressed before hostilities cease. The Kremlin's hardline stance emerged in Abu Dhabi talks, where Russians cited the Cold War and Warsaw Pact as a model for Europe. Economic incentives from Trump envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have not yet yielded concessions, though officials signaled Putin could still show flexibility.