Russian negotiators have presented sweeping demands to end the war in Ukraine during talks in Abu Dhabi, including a requirement for Finland to leave NATO. The German newspaper Bild reported on Friday that these informal proposals were shared with European representatives.
The reports state that the Russian officials are seeking to establish "a new European security order," arguing that Western governments previously promised not to expand NATO eastward. As part of the proposal, Russia would retain all currently occupied Ukrainian territory and acquire the entire Donbas region. Consequently, Ukraine would be required to forfeit the parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions that remain under its control.
The plan also includes specific maritime and regional requirements. The ports of Odesa and Mykolaiv would undergo demilitarization and be prohibited from serving as naval bases. Separate agreements would be necessary to ensure unrestricted passage in both the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea. Additionally, the proposals call for Ukraine to remain permanently non-aligned, which would rule out NATO membership while leaving the possibility of joining the European Union open.
Regarding the Baltic region, the demands include a prohibition on NATO military installations in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, alongside the requirement for Finland to return to its pre-membership status.
The proposals extend beyond Ukraine's borders to include a plan for a federated state comprising mainland Moldova, Transnistria, and Gagauzia. Under this plan, if Moldova were to join the EU, Transnistria and Gagauzia would be permitted to conduct an independence referendum.
Nonetheless, the report underlines that Russia offers to pull nuclear weapons from Belarus and halt intermediate-range missile deployments there.
