Back to 1997 borders: Putin hopes to weaken NATO through Ukraine peace talks — The Telegraph

Russian President Vladimir Putin seeks to weaken NATO through peace talks over Ukraine, with the aim of demanding the alliance scale back its military presence to its 1997 borders, according to sources cited by The Telegraph. Diplomatic sources told the newspaper that Russia intends to use negotiations to secure concessions on NATO expansion, involving Europe in discussions alongside Russian and U.S. officials.

Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov stated that the inclusion of European countries is crucial, as the issue cannot be resolved without their participation. However, sources suggest that Moscow wants European involvement to leverage concessions on NATO expansion, which Putin views as the "root cause" of the war. The Kremlin has previously indicated a willingness to compromise on other issues if core demands are met, effectively stripping Ukraine of its sovereignty and restricting NATO's eastward expansion.

Specifically, Putin is expected to demand that NATO reduce its presence in Europe to its 1997 borders, including withdrawing troops from Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Finland, all of which share borders with Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that Ukraine will not compromise on territorial issues, describing them as a "red line" that can only be discussed at the highest level of leadership.

Ukrainian and U.S. officials are attempting to move the next round of trilateral talks forward by a week, potentially shifting the venue to Abu Dhabi in the first half of November, with Switzerland also being considered.