Russia Proposes European Security Deals With Individual NATO Members
Russian Foreign Ministry official Alexey Drobinin proposed three options for a new European security architecture, including bilateral non-aggression pacts with individual NATO members. The proposal emerged as European security was discussed during the resumed Ukraine-US-Russia talks in Abu Dhabi, while some European politicians opposed discussing the wider architecture before progress is made toward a ceasefire.
Key points
- Drobinin presented three security options in Moscow on November 11.
- The options include a collective defense alliance, political non-support commitments, and bilateral non-aggression pacts.
- Russia could offer additional individual security guarantees to NATO states that sign the proposed agreements.
- Ukraine-US-Russia talks took place in Abu Dhabi on November 10 and resumed after an interruption dating back to February.
- US officials said they were open to discussing the broader European security architecture.
- Special envoy Jared Kushner proposed reviving the Russia-NATO Council created in 2002.
- Some European politicians want negotiations on the wider architecture to wait for progress on ending the war in Ukraine.
- Reported Russian demands to reduce NATO troop levels to 1997 levels remain unconfirmed assessments by diplomatic sources.
Why it matters
The proposal could reshape European security arrangements by creating separate Russian security commitments to individual NATO members. It also links a wider European security framework to negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine and providing postwar guarantees, while revealing disagreement over whether such discussions should begin before a ceasefire.
What happened
Alexey Drobinin, head of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Department for Foreign Policy Planning, presented three options for a new European security architecture at a security conference in Moscow. The first would create a collective defense alliance or bilateral mutual-assistance agreements; the second would involve political commitments not to support the other side's adversary during aggression; and the third would provide for bilateral non-aggression pacts. Drobinin said such agreements could include individual NATO members, which could then receive additional security guarantees from Russia.
The proposal came amid renewed Ukraine-US-Russia negotiations in Abu Dhabi. The first round addressed security guarantees, Russian demands and the postwar future. Vladimir Medinsky said the new European security system was the central topic of the two-day meeting, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the trilateral talks as very productive but said substantial work remained.
US officials also expressed openness to discussions on the broader European security architecture. Jared Kushner proposed using the Russia-NATO Council, established in 2002 and suspended after Russia's aggression against Ukraine in 2014, as a model for permanent security consultations, crisis communication channels and greater military transparency.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian coverage focuses on Russia's proposed non-aggression pacts with individual NATO states and the three possible models of a European security architecture. It also emphasizes the connection between the proposal and the Abu Dhabi talks, the European insistence on a ceasefire first, and the additional individual guarantees Russia is offering participating states.
How international sources describe it
The proposal is presented as part of Russian efforts to shape a new European security system while negotiations over Ukraine are resuming. Washington is open to discussing that system, and the revival of a Russia-NATO Council is being considered in parallel. Claims that Russia will demand NATO force reductions to 1997 levels remain unconfirmed assessments from diplomatic sources.
Where reporting differs
There were two notable disagreements. First, the Kremlin said the Abu Dhabi talks would take place without European participation, but a European delegation attended. European participants also said Europe would be represented and France would convey its position. Second, diplomatic sources suggested Russia might seek reductions in NATO's European military presence to 1997 levels, potentially involving withdrawals from Poland, the Baltic states and Finland. This was not presented as a confirmed Russian demand.
Background
The Abu Dhabi meeting on November 10 was the first resumption of Ukraine-related talks involving Russia since February. Its first round covered security guarantees, Russian demands and the postwar future. The Russia-NATO Council, proposed by Kushner as a possible model, was created in 2002 and suspended after the 2014 Russian aggression against Ukraine.