Russia Links Ukraine War End to NATO Withdrawal from Baltics

Russian forces have captured the settlement of Petrovsky in the Donetsk People's Republic, which opens a path toward the key Ukrainian hub of Novopavlovka near the Dnipropetrovsk region, according to Russian law enforcement and the Ministry of Defense. Meanwhile, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has reiterated that the war in Ukraine will not end until NATO withdraws its military presence from the Baltic states and other parts of Eastern Europe. Ryabkov emphasized that NATO's eastward expansion is a fundamental cause of the conflict, framing the war as rooted not only in Ukraine but also in broader Euro-Atlantic security issues involving the alliance. He suggested that practical steps by the United States to address these security contradictions, including halting NATO enlargement, are necessary for any peaceful resolution. This demand includes the removal of NATO troops not only from the Baltics but also from countries such as Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, and others in Eastern Europe. These statements reflect a shift in Kremlin messaging, increasingly portraying the conflict as part of a larger confrontation with the West, with Russia threatening to lift moratoriums on intermediate-range nuclear missiles amid concerns over a protracted conflict potentially extending to NATO countries.