The key facts

  • The Kremlin handed over an unofficial document with demands to the West in Abu Dhabi; its authenticity was confirmed by a source familiar with the talks
  • The demands almost verbatim repeat Moscow's ultimatum to the West and NATO from late 2021
  • New points: an end to arms supplies to Ukraine and an exclusion of France and Britain using nuclear weapons to defend other European countries

What Is Known About the Document

During trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi involving Ukraine and the United States, as well as during a visit by American negotiators to Moscow, the Kremlin handed over a document setting out Russia's demands to the West. The document is dated November 10 and is unsigned; it was given to journalists by one of the participants in the talks, and its authenticity was confirmed by a source familiar with the process. In diplomacy, such unofficial papers are called a

A Repeat of the 2021 Ultimatum

According to The New York Times, the demands set out in the document almost verbatim repeat the ultimatum that Moscow issued to the West and NATO in late 2021, and largely use the same wording. Back then, Russia demanded an end to any further NATO expansion and to the possibility of Ukraine joining the alliance, that the alliance be rolled back to its 1997 borders — that is, effectively withdrawing troops from the Baltic states and Poland — and that all military activity be halted in Ukraine, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia.

How the New Document Differs

The document also contains differences from the earlier demands. In 2021, Russia insisted on the abandonment of agreements on

Moscow's Position at the Talks

Participants in the talks said the document reflects only Russia's initial position, and Russian negotiators did not rule out that Vladimir Putin