RUSSIA REPORTEDLY DEMANDS FINLAND LEAVE NATO IN SWEEPING PEACE PROPOSAL
Russia has reportedly demanded that Finland withdraw from NATO as part of a sweeping peace proposal presented during negotiations in Abu Dhabi, according to reports by German newspaper BILD and Anadolu Agency.
Moscow is also seeking a ban on NATO military bases in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, potentially reshaping Europe’s security architecture and weakening the alliance’s military presence along Russia’s western borders.
Under the reported proposal, Russia would retain control of Ukrainian territories it currently occupies and secure the entire Donbas region. Ukraine would also be permanently prohibited from joining NATO, although it would remain free to pursue membership in the European Union.
The proposal reportedly includes the demilitarization of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, particularly Odesa and Mykolaiv, two strategically important locations for Ukraine’s maritime trade and security.
In exchange, Moscow is reportedly offering to withdraw its nuclear weapons from Belarus and refrain from deploying intermediate-range missiles on Belarusian territory.
However, European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas has strongly warned against accepting or even entertaining Russia’s demands concerning Europe’s security architecture, arguing that doing so would mean falling into Moscow’s trap.
The reported proposal underscores the significant differences between Russia’s demands and European security priorities, raising fresh questions about the prospects of reaching a comprehensive peace agreement and the future of NATO’s presence in Eastern Europe.