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NEW YORK/WASHINGTON – Recently, Russia has communicated a series of demands to the United States regarding a potential resolution to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This initiative aims to reshape relations between Moscow and Washington, according to sources familiar with the discussions.
The specific contents of Russia’s demand list remain unclear, as is their willingness to engage in dialogue with Ukraine prior to these demands being addressed. Discussions between Russian and American officials have taken place both in-person and virtually over the past few weeks.
Officials described the Kremlin’s requests as broad and echoing earlier demands made to Ukraine, the U.S., and NATO. Notable demands have included assurances against NATO membership for Ukraine, an agreement to prevent foreign troop presence on Ukrainian soil, and international recognition of Crimea and several other provinces as part of Russia.
Additionally, in recent years, Russia has urged the U.S. and NATO to confront what it terms as the “root causes” of the conflict, which notably includes NATO’s expansion toward Eastern Europe.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump is poised to hear from Putin about a potential 30-day ceasefire, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed willingness to accept as a first step toward peace negotiations.
However, uncertainty looms over Putin’s commitment to any ceasefire deal, with many details still pending. Some U.S. officials and analysts caution that Putin, with a background in the KGB, might utilize a ceasefire as a strategic move to potentially deepen divisions among the U.S., Ukraine, and Europe, undermining any serious negotiations.
Neither the Russian embassy in Washington nor the White House provided an immediate comment regarding these ongoing discussions.
In Kyiv, President Zelenskiy characterized the recent meetings in Saudi Arabia between U.S. and Ukrainian officials as productive, asserting that a potential 30-day ceasefire could facilitate a comprehensive peace agreement.
Moscow’s list of demands has been reiterated over the past two decades, with many being discussed during formal negotiations with the U.S. and European entities. Most recently, in late 2021 and early 2022, such requests were raised as tens of thousands of Russian troops amassed along Ukraine’s borders, signaling an impending invasion.
The demands stipulated by Russia during these negotiations often aimed to restrict U.S. and NATO military activities from Eastern Europe to Central Asia. While the Biden administration rejected several provisions outright, it did attempt to engage Russia on some points as a means to avert war, based on various government documents and testimony from former officials.
Unfortunately, diplomatic efforts fell short when Russia launched its invasion on February 24, 2022.
Recent dialogues among U.S. and Russian officials suggest revisiting a draft agreement from talks held in Istanbul in 2022 as a foundational element for potential peace talks. However, that agreement did not come to fruition.
In those discussions, Russia had insisted that Ukraine relinquish its NATO aspirations and adopt a permanent status devoid of nuclear arms. Furthermore, Moscow demanded a veto power over any supportive actions from countries willing to aid Ukraine during conflicts.
The Trump administration has not made its negotiation strategies with Moscow clear; separate discussions are currently underway to reset U.S.-Russia relations and to forge a peace agreement for Ukraine.
The internal landscape of the administration appears to be divided on the way forward. U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff described the Istanbul discussions as significant negotiations that could serve as a reference point for achieving peace. In contrast, retired Gen. Keith Kellogg, the top envoy focused on Ukraine and Russia, expressed skepticism regarding the usefulness of the Istanbul agreement, suggesting the need for an entirely new framework.
OLD DEMANDS
Analysts warn that Russia’s current demands likely extend beyond merely straining relations with Ukraine; they may also be aimed at creating agreements with its Western counterparts. Over the years, Russia has repeatedly requested terms that would hinder NATO’s military robustness in Europe, thus potentially paving the way for an expansion of Russian influence.
Angela Stent, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and former U.S. intelligence analyst for Russia and Eurasia, noted, “There’s no sign that the Russians are willing to make any concessions. The demands haven’t changed at all. I think they are not really interested in peace or a meaningful ceasefire.”
To preempt what U.S. intelligence suggested was an impending invasion by Russia, senior officials in the Biden administration engaged Russian counterparts on several Kremlin demands. Those included a halt to military exercises by the U.S. and NATO forces in the territories of new alliance members, as well as restrictions on U.S. intermediate-range missile deployments within striking distance of Russian territory.
The Russian side had also pursued prohibitions against military exercises by NATO and the U.S. spanning from Eastern Europe to the Caucasus and Central Asia.
Kori Schake, a former official at the Pentagon now directing foreign and defense policy at the American Enterprise Institute, commented, “These are the same Russian demands that have been made since 1945. With the behavior of the Trump administration in recent weeks, Europeans aren’t just scared we’re abandoning them, they’re afraid we’ve joined the enemy.”
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