EU Demands the Withdrawal of Russian Troops from Transnistria as a part of Ukraine Deal

As part of the peace agreement on Ukraine, the European Union intends to demand that Russia withdraw its troops from Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, and Transnistria. This point is contained in a discussion document distributed by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas to member states of the bloc. Radio Libera has obtained a copy of the document. The document, titled “Europe’s Core Interests in Ensuring a Comprehensive, Just, and Sustainable Peace and Security on the Continent”, outlines Brussels’ perspective on the conditions that Moscow must meet. In addition to withdrawing its troops from neighboring countries, the EU is demanding reparations, demilitarization of occupied Ukrainian territories, de-recognition of these territories, and an end to Moscow’s hybrid attacks against Europe. A separate section is dedicated to domestic political changes in Russia: the European Union demands free elections with international observation, the release of political prisoners, the return of deported citizens, the repeal of the law on “foreign agents”, and assistance in investigating the murders of politicians Alexei Navalny and Boris Nemtsov. Brussels emphasizes that the continent’s security is impossible without the EU’s participation in the negotiations. As a result, the creation of a special representative for EU-Russia relations is being discussed. It is expected that some of the proposals will be discussed by the EU foreign ministers on February 23. However, diplomats note that Moscow has so far rejected key points of a possible deal, including compensation payments and the deployment of foreign forces in western Ukraine.