According to The Telegraph, a list of proposals prepared by the Russian side for negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine includes a demand addressed to Great Britain: to abandon the use of its own nuclear potential to protect other European states. As the publication notes, Britain is the only European country that uses nuclear-armed submarines to ensure NATO's collective defense, which makes this requirement particularly sensitive in the context of the Alliance's security architecture.
Britain's Nuclear Umbrella at the Center of Demands
According to The Telegraph, the document containing Moscow's demands is not limited to the nuclear issue. According to the publication, it includes conditions on the withdrawal of NATO forces from Eastern Europe and the Baltic states, the exclusion of Finland from the Alliance, and the obligation not to deploy Western troops on the territory of Ukraine. It is claimed that only after the fulfillment of these conditions will the head of the Russian state be ready to consider the possibility of a ceasefire.
Status of Ukraine and the EU Question
In addition, Moscow, according to the publication, demands an end to the supply of Western weapons, military equipment, and other products to Ukraine, as well as the abandonment of Ukraine's prospects for NATO membership. The Kremlin, as indicated, seeks to retain control over occupied Ukrainian territories after the end of war. In return, according to The Telegraph, Moscow is ready not to obstruct Ukraine's accession to the European Union, provided that Kyiv does not participate in the bloc's common defense policy.
Reaction of Kyiv and London
Against the background of these reports, the publication recalls a recent statement by British Prime Minister Andy Byrne, who emphasized that the issue of Europe's security cannot be the subject of agreements with Russia. Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to the publication, warned that Moscow aims to redraw Europe's borders and named Finland and Sweden as being in its sights.
Diplomatic Context
Separately, The Telegraph points out that the day before, Russian diplomat Alexei Drobinin announced Moscow's readiness to consider concluding bilateral non-aggression pacts with individual NATO countries. Thus, according to the publication, Russian proposals combine both demands to narrow the Alliance's military infrastructure in Europe and initiatives for bilateral guarantees, making the picture of Moscow's negotiating positions multi-component.
