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Russia Revives Demand That NATO Retrench to Secure Ukraine Deal
The New York Times • • world
Key Points:
- Two months before Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Moscow demanded that NATO withdraw troops to their 1997 positions, a stance it has revived in recent closed-door talks with former President Trump's envoys.
- A leaked Russian document reveals that President Vladimir Putin remains steadfast on his core objectives, including NATO's pullback from Eastern Europe, despite over 20 months of diplomatic efforts.
- Russia's demands center on addressing what Putin calls the "root causes" of the conflict, focusing on grievances with NATO and Ukraine before ceasing hostilities.
- Economic incentives offered by Trump's envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have so far failed to secure concessions from Moscow, raising concerns about enabling Putin's bid to reestablish a Soviet-era sphere of influence.
