Russia used the first round of talks with the US on ending the war in Ukraine to demand the withdrawal of NATO troops from the eastern flank of the alliance, fueling concerns in European capitals that the Trump administration might make such a concession to seal the peace deal.
Cristian Diaconescu, chief of staff and defense advisor to the Romanian President, stated that the American delegation had rejected Moscow's request, but that there is no guarantee that Washington will not take this step, A2 writes.
"As far as I understand, the situation could change from hour to hour," the Romanian official said, in a reference to Trump's strong criticism of the Ukrainian leader and concessions made to Russia before the talks began.
As part of such a move, Kosovo would also be affected by the withdrawal of American troops from KFOR, as the Bild newspaper previously claimed.
German media reported that Italy is preparing for a possible withdrawal of US troops from Kosovo, as part of negotiations with Russia, leaving only European allies in the Balkans against Vučić's powerful army.
The withdrawal of NATO forces from former Soviet and communist countries that joined NATO in the late 1990s was one of the main demands Putin made to the US before launching the war in Ukraine in 2022. (A2 Televizion)
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