Kremlin denies demanding Finland leave NATO in Ukraine peace talks, Bild reported

In brief

• Bild reported that Russia demanded Finland leave NATO and that NATO bases be removed from the Baltic states during unofficial Ukraine peace talks.
• The Kremlin denied the demand was made, and Finland's defence minister called even raising it outrageous.
• Bild's further terms, including Donbas control and Black Sea navigation, remain unconfirmed.

Report of Finland demand surfaces

German tabloid Bild reported on November 13 that Russian representatives had put a set of conditions to European participants in unofficial talks about ending the war in Ukraine. Among them, according to the paper, was a demand that Finland leave NATO and that the alliance withdraw its military bases from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania («Даже упоминание об этом возмутительно». Финляндия отвергла требования РФ о выходе страны из НАТО – NV) (Bild: Россия требует, чтобы Финляндия вышла из НАТО. В Москве все отрицают. В Хельсинки возмущены – Meduza) («Новый европейский порядок безопасности». РФ требует выхода Финляндии из НАТО, контроля над всем Донбассом и «демилитаризации» Одессы и Николаева — Bild – NV).

Kremlin denial

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he had no knowledge of such a proposal and that it had not been raised at all (Песков «дал заднюю» по вопросу Финляндии в НАТО – Charter 97). Russian outlets quoted him saying the question did not come up during discussion of a new European security architecture. Interfax carried the same line (Россия расширяет свои требования: речь уже не только об Украине, но и о сокращении присутствия НАТО в Европе — министр обороны Финляндии – The Insider).

Helsinki reaction

Finland's defence minister, Antti Häkkänen, said the Russian demands were not open to discussion and that even raising such a point was outrageous. He argued that Moscow was testing how far the United States and Europe were willing to give ground and that it kept widening its demands, from ending the war to reshaping European security in Russia's favour. Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said that decisions on Finnish NATO membership rest with Finland and the alliance.

Unverified terms

Bild's account, which it said was unconfirmed, listed further terms: Russia keeping occupied Ukrainian territory and gaining all of Donbas, Ukraine adopting non-bloc status and abandoning NATO plans, demilitarisation of the ports of Odesa and Mykolaiv, and navigation rights in the Black and Baltic seas. Bild also said Moscow wanted Moldova turned into a federal republic. None of these points has been confirmed by the parties involved.

Context

The reports followed talks in Abu Dhabi held on November 10 and 11 in a trilateral format involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States. Finland has applied to join NATO.

Read also

• Russia Reportedly Demands NATO Concessions in Abu Dhabi Talks, Finland and Baltic States Named