Russia is demanding that NATO give up further eastward expansion, halt the supply of weapons to Ukraine, and refrain from using its nuclear weapons to defend Europe, the New York Times reports.
As part of negotiations on a new European security architecture, Russia has presented a series of tougher demands to European countries and the United States, according to an unofficial document dated Nov. 10 and cited by the newspaper.
The demands describe the Kremlin's vision for the post-war order in Europe and have become a key condition for ending the war in the current negotiations.
Essentially, they repeat the demands that Putin presented to the West in anticipation of Russia's full invasion of Ukraine, with a few additions. Sources cited by The New York Times say that these are preliminary proposals and that Putin is open to negotiations.
Specifically, Moscow wants NATO to forego further expansion and end all military activity in Ukraine, Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus and Central Asia, while ending existing military arrangements with countries in those regions. This will apply even to countries that have already joined the alliance.
In fact, Putin wants to return NATO to its borders in 1997, the year the NATO-Russia Basic Law was signed. This would require the alliance to dismantle its bases and withdraw forces from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia, Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Sweden and Finland.
The Kremlin also demands that Western countries stop all supplies of weapons and equipment to Ukraine. She also wants Ukraine to be admitted to the European Union only if it is excluded from the bloc's common defense policy.
Finally, Putin wants France and Britain to refrain from using their nuclear weapons to defend Europe.