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

In brief

• Bild reports Russia tabled demands in unofficial Abu Dhabi talks, including Finland leaving NATO and a NATO pullback from the Baltic states.
• The reported proposal also includes full Russian control of Donbas, neutral status for Ukraine and a federal structure for Moldova.
• Finland's defence minister called the demands unacceptable and not open to negotiation.

Reported Russian demands

German newspaper Bild reports, citing unofficial talks, that Moscow's proposal for a "new security order in Europe" would require NATO forces to leave the Baltic states and Finland to quit the alliance. Finland joined NATO in April 2023, after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine had begun („Bild”: Rosja miała postawić warunki dotyczące Finlandii, krajów bałtyckich i NATO – RMF24) (Rosyjskie żądania ws. wystąpienia Finlandii z NATO. "Po prostu oburzające" – Polsat News) (Ujawniono rosyjskie warunki. Wśród żądań cały Donbas, neutralność Ukrainy i federalizacja Mołdawii – Bankier.pl).

The same proposal reportedly calls for Russia to take control of the entire Donbas, including parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions that remain under Ukrainian control. Ukraine would have to adopt neutral status and drop plans to join NATO, while its path toward European Union membership would stay open.

Bild also reports that the plan would demilitarise the ports of Odesa and Mykolaiv, so that Ukraine could not use them as naval bases, and include provisions on freedom of navigation in the Black and Baltic seas.

Moldova

According to the same report, Russia wants Moldova turned into a federal republic made up of Moldova proper, the autonomous region of Gagauzia and separatist Transnistria, which remains under strong Russian influence. If Moldova joins the EU, Transnistria and Gagauzia would be granted the right to hold referendums (Koniec wojny za ustępstwa NATO? Wyciekł tajny plan Rosji – Wirtualna Polska).

Finnish response

Finnish Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen called the reported demands unacceptable and said such matters are not open to negotiation. He described the proposal as outrageous and said Russia was testing Western decision-makers to see how far Europe and the United States would bend (Przecieki o żądaniach Rosji wobec Europy. Finlandia jako pierwsza reaguje: skandaliczne – Onet) („To oburzające”. Finlandia reaguje na żądania Rosji, które dotyczą jej członkostwa w NATO – Rzeczpospolita).

Context

Bild's account comes from unofficial talks and has not been confirmed by the negotiating parties. The report also said several intermediary groups are working in parallel, and it was unclear whether Vladimir Putin backed this specific proposal (Kulisy szczytu w Abu Zabi. Wyciekła długa lista żądań Putina wobec Europy – Onet).

| Item | Reported demand | |---|---| | Finland | Exit from NATO | | Baltic states | Withdrawal of NATO forces | | Donbas | Full Russian control | | Ukraine | Neutral status, no NATO bid | | Moldova | Federal republic with Transnistria and Gagauzia |

Read also

• Russia reportedly seeks NATO force cuts in Europe, including withdrawal from Poland, in peace talks