Putin intends to use the Ukraine negotiations to push for a return of NATO to its 1997 borders, the Telegraph reports. Russia will try to leverage a new round of talks on Ukraine to secure concessions that would weaken NATO defenses, the British newspaper reports, citing diplomatic sources. Yuri Ushkov, an aide to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, said in the past that European countries should participate in the negotiations, given their support for Kiev and the potential importance of Europe's position. According to Telegraph sources, Moscow is seeking to involve European countries in the process to force discussions on NATO expansion, which Putin describes as the "root cause" of the war. Putin may demand the alliance reduce its military presence in Europe to 1997 levels, before the former Eastern Bloc countries began joining NATO, the Telegraph notes. This could lead to the withdrawal of allied forces from Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland, all of which border Russia. The newspaper reports that US President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, conveyed to Putin a proposal to discuss the broader context of post-war security in Europe to Putin during a three-hour meeting in St. Petersburg last week. The resumption of talks was also facilitated by Washington's willingness to discuss Russian demands and a decision to temporarily lift restrictions on Russian diesel exports. European and Ukrainian officials are ready to discuss post-war security arrangements. However, according to a European diplomat quoted by the newspaper, Europe's position on Moscow's demands has not changed since January 2022. At the time, NATO agreed to discuss Russia's concerns but rejected Moscow's demand to withdraw troops and weapons from Eastern European countries.

Putin intends to use the Ukraine negotiations to push for a return of NATO to its 1997 borders, the Telegraph reports. Russia will try to leverage a new round of talks on Ukraine to secure concessions that would weaken NATO defenses, the British newspaper reports, citing diplomatic sources. Yuri Ushkov, an aide to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, said in the past that European countries should participate in the negotiations, given their support for Kiev and the potential importance of Europe's position. According to Telegraph sources, Moscow is seeking to involve European countries in the process to force discussions on NATO expansion, which Putin describes as the "root cause" of the war. Putin may demand the alliance reduce its military presence in Europe to 1997 levels, before the former Eastern Bloc countries began joining NATO, the Telegraph notes. This could lead to the withdrawal of allied forces from Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland, all of which border Russia. The newspaper reports that US President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, conveyed to Putin a proposal to discuss the broader context of post-war security in Europe to Putin during a three-hour meeting in St. Petersburg last week. The resumption of talks was also facilitated by Washington's willingness to discuss Russian demands and a decision to temporarily lift restrictions on Russian diesel exports. European and Ukrainian officials are ready to discuss post-war security arrangements. However, according to a European diplomat quoted by the newspaper, Europe's position on Moscow's demands has not changed since January 2022. At the time, NATO agreed to discuss Russia's concerns but rejected Moscow's demand to withdraw troops and weapons from Eastern European countries.