Russian Demands That Collapsed Abu Dhabi Talks With Ukraine Revealed
Direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi collapsed after Moscow presented sweeping demands, including Ukrainian withdrawal from NATO, territorial cessions, and permanent Ukrainian neutrality.
The first direct talks in months between Russia and Ukraine concluded this week in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, ending after two days without a significant breakthrough. According to reports in the German media, the collapse of the negotiations was triggered by unprecedented and hardline demands presented by the Moscow delegation.
Citing a report by the newspaper Bild, European intermediaries were presented with a sweeping proposal outlining extensive security and territorial conditions. Moscow demanded that Ukraine withdraw from the NATO alliance, that the deployment of NATO military bases be permanently banned in the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and that Ukraine fully cede all territories currently occupied by Russian forces.
Regarding the future status of Ukraine, Moscow insisted that the country commit to permanent neutrality, bar itself from joining any military blocs, and remain outside of NATO. In exchange, Russia indicated it would not object to Ukraine eventually joining the European Union.
On the territorial front, the blueprint stipulates that Russia will retain its current conquests and secure full control over the Donbas region. This condition would force Kyiv to withdraw from remaining areas in the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts currently under Ukrainian control. Furthermore, the plan calls for the demilitarization of the strategic Black Sea port cities of Odesa and Mykolaiv, a ban on establishing naval bases there, and special arrangements to ensure freedom of navigation in the Black and Baltic seas.
In return for meeting these terms, the Russian side offered to withdraw tactical nuclear weapons stationed in Belarus and refrain from deploying medium-range missiles on Belarusian territory. Moscow also proposed withdrawing its forces from the breakaway region of Transnistria, conditioned on Moldova refraining from joining military alliances. However, the report noted that the plan does not entail any corresponding reduction of Russian military capabilities in the exclave of Kaliningrad.
