Russia may seek NATO troop withdrawal from Poland in Ukraine talks: report

According to The Telegraph, Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to seek concessions over NATO’s military presence in Europe during upcoming peace talks on Ukraine. 

Wladimir Putin

EPA/Vyacheslav Prokofyev

The report says Moscow could demand that NATO reduce its military presence to 1997 levels, before former Eastern Bloc countries began joining the alliance. This could mean the withdrawal of NATO troops from Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland, all of which share a border with Russia. 

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov previously said that European countries should take part in the negotiations because they support Kyiv and Europe's position could play a “key role.” On October 25, the Russian dictator's aide said that a trilateral meeting between Russia, the US, and Ukraine, which could take place in Abu Dhabi in November, would be “exploratory in nature.”

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) October 26, 2026

Russia has agreed to resume trilateral talks with the United States and Ukraine after a pause in negotiations. The Telegraph reports that technical talks are expected in Abu Dhabi next month. 

Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov has said European representatives should be included in the negotiations, arguing that Europe would be crucial to reaching an agreement. 

According to diplomatic sources cited by The Telegraph, Moscow’s aim in involving European countries is to obtain concessions on NATO expansion. 

Putin made demands concerning NATO expansion in 2021, before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The report says Moscow views NATO’s eastward expansion as a root cause of the war. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine is ready for talks but has also stressed the need for a ceasefire and credible security guarantees. 

We are ready for trilateral talks between technical groups, which must yield a concrete result. The Americans asked me, “What specifics do you want?” I said, “Look, can the war end in November during a meeting of the technical group?” Without the leaders, it cannot be fully ended. Okay, if that is not possible, then give us an energy ceasefire, the sea, grain, an all-for-all exchange, or a meeting of leaders. Of course, that is a result. A result is an opportunity. Energy, grain, people – these are concrete things, while a meeting at the level of leaders is an opportunity to have something concrete after our trilateral. This is what we are asking for and proposing. We are not demanding it, but proposing it to the American side. Then that would show seriousness. But if this is just a political trick and Putin is simply saying, “Yes, I’m ready,” because he does not want escalation with America before the elections, then we will see very quickly in November whether it was a trick or not. From an interview with Alla Mazur for TSN Week on 1+1, as part of the United News telethon. (4/5)

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 25, 2026

Previous negotiations have failed to secure a ceasefire. The Telegraph reports that Zelensky wants the upcoming talks to address practical measures, including limited ceasefires and prisoner exchanges. 

Ushakov does not expect the talks to bring significant progress. He described them as a “trial run.” 

(sp) 

Source: The Telegraph