Russian President Vladimir Putin may demand that NATO scale back its military presence in Europe to 1997 levels during the next round of Ukraine peace talks in Abu Dhabi, according to British newspaper The Telegraph. Moscow reportedly intends to raise the issue in an effort to secure concessions from the military alliance.

Citing its sources, the newspaper reported that Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov had advocated involving European countries in negotiations between Russia, Ukraine and the United States. Ushakov argued that European participation could play a decisive role in reaching potential agreements.

However, diplomatic sources quoted by The Telegraph believe Moscow intends to use Europe’s involvement to advance its demands concerning NATO’s eastward expansion.

According to the publication, Putin is expected to push for a reduction in NATO’s military presence across Europe to its 1997 level, before former Eastern Bloc countries joined the alliance.

Such demands could include the withdrawal of NATO troops from Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland. All five countries share borders with Russia, while Finland became a NATO member in 2023.

Ushakov previously played down expectations of a major breakthrough at the upcoming meeting, describing the negotiations as more of an exploratory step than an opportunity for substantial progress.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian and European representatives are prepared to address a broader range of issues in Abu Dhabi, including the future structure of European security arrangements after the conflict ends.