Revealed what ultimatum Russia will issue to NATO: withdrawal of forces from Poland, the Baltic states and Finland

Russia intends to firmly link a peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian conflict to the broader issue of security and a reduction in the North Atlantic Alliance’s military presence in Europe, The Telegraph reports, citing diplomatic sources.

"During a new round of peace talks on Ukraine, Russia will attempt to secure concessions that would weaken NATO's defenses," the publication states.

Yuri Ushakov, an aide to the Russian president, previously emphasized that Europe must necessarily be involved in the negotiation process between Moscow, Kyiv, and Washington, as reaching a long-term agreement would be extremely difficult without taking its position into account.

 Nevertheless, Western diplomatic sources assert that the Kremlin’s primary objective is to demand a reduction of the alliance’s infrastructure and troops in Europe to 1997 levels, a move that would effectively entail the withdrawal of NATO forces from Poland, the Baltic states, and Finland.

 Last week, the Russian side agreed to hold trilateral technical talks in Abu Dhabi next month, following a long hiatus, with the United States acting as a mediator. Yuri Ushakov himself described the upcoming meeting as a "preliminary" one and does not expect any major, immediate progress to come from it.

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Source of information: Global News Agencies including REUTERS / TASS / AFP / ANADOLU / INT.RU / Al Jazeera / CNN