Russian representatives presented conditions for a "new European security order" to European officials during talks in Abu Dhabi on November 10-11, according to a Bild report. The proposal seeks the removal of Finland from Nato and the handover of all remaining parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions to Moscow. Under these terms, Ukraine would adopt a non-aligned status and drop its bid to join Nato, though its accession to the EU would not face challenges.
Territorial and security demands
The plan requires Nato to bar military bases in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania while Russia keeps occupied Ukrainian territory. Moscow also wants to demilitarise the ports of Odesa and Mykolaiv and secure agreements for freedom of navigation in the Black Sea and the Baltic. Regarding Moldova, the proposal states that Transnistria and Gagauzia would receive the right to hold independence referendums if the country joins the EU. This plan is one of several being discussed in unofficial negotiating circles where different groups of intermediaries work in parallel.
| Condition Category | Russian Demand or Offer |
|---|---|
| Ukraine Status | Non-aligned status; drop Nato bid |
| Donbas Territory | All parts of Donetsk and Luhansk |
| Moldova | Federal republic status |
| Russian Concessions | Withdraw nuclear weapons from Belarus; pull troops from Transnistria |
Contradictory accounts from Moscow
Vladimir Medinsky, who led the Russian delegation in Abu Dhabi, said the Russian side held no talks with European representatives there. He called for a sweeping overhaul of security arrangements because they ignore Russian interests and stated Russia could regard as its own any territory its troops have set foot on. This claim contradicts the Bild report. Meanwhile, US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Putin in Moscow and Zelenskiy in Dublin after the Abu Dhabi round produced agreement on a prisoner exchange of possibly 1,000 for 1,000 or more.
