Ukraine, Moscow freezes the US: 'no NATO for Kiev'. Then it threatens Europe

Not only control of the Donbass but also of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson with Ukraine out of NATO, and if no agreement is found on the new arrangements for European security then Moscow will have to "use force," because the negotiating posture is that of achieving, one way or another, the objectives of the 'special military operation' set by Vladimir Putin two years ago. The Kremlin is raising the stakes, turning the calendar back to 2024 and, in doing so, rejecting the US idea — ceding the Donbass in exchange for Ukraine's NATO membership — which yesterday Volodymyr Zelensky had acted as a vehicle for. But in the Kremlin's view, the Kyiv leader in the negotiations "is playing a game of his own," while Europe, divided internally and slow in its decisions, is trying to enter the talks by attempting to "jump on the last train." Meanwhile, Estonia has announced it will close its borders with Russia starting December 1, after having thwarted at the last moment an attempt to set fire to a drone factory, orchestrated, according to what was stated, by Russian military intelligence. Moscow's aggressive hard line does not come from Putin himself, but it is as if it did: Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and the tsar's spokesman Dmitri Peskov have spoken, and they do not seem to have divided the roles of hawk and dove, because both use their claws. "The negotiating position will be defined so as to achieve the objectives of the special operation," Lavrov said, "that is, those formulated by President Putin in June 2024." On June 14 of that year, on the eve of a peace conference in Switzerland, the tsar set out his terms: Kyiv would have to withdraw not only from Donetsk and Lugansk (that is, from the Donbass) but also from Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, and would have to forget about NATO forever. Conditions that were rejected even then and that today sweep away from the table even Zelensky's cautious opening on the Donbass, who had imagined some sort of internal referendum to decide what to do. A position, moreover, shared by Rome: on borders as on NATO, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said, "the only ones who can decide are the Ukrainians." But the Kyiv leader, from Moscow's point of view, "is playing his own game, I am not considering him in this context," the minister added. After Abu Dhabi everyone was satisfied except him, he added, and even the Ukrainian negotiators "focused on substantive discussions." Just like the Americans, whose pragmatic approach seems to be recognized by Moscow: "At least with them," Lavrov said, "we are talking in concrete terms, based on real facts, including the situation on the ground and the root causes underlying this conflict, including attitudes toward the Russian language, Russian culture, the Orthodox religion and so on." For the Europeans, on the other hand, the Russian minister has contemptuous tones: they want to take part in the negotiations now because "they understand the train is leaving and want to try to jump onto the steps of the last carriage" but in reality "they are not clear about what role they could play." Senseless, he added, are the positions of High Representative Kaja Kallas and also of President Ursula Von der Leyen: "Her call for a ceasefire before discussing European security is an approach that leads nowhere." That is exactly the point: for Moscow it is "evident," Putin's spokesman Dmitri Peskov said, that peace in Ukraine and the European security architecture are "interdependent elements." All in line with what has so far leaked from the negotiations: the Cold War map and the Warsaw Pact as models of balance, NATO at a proper distance from the Baltic (let alone having it in Kyiv), Moldova carved up. The Europeans, Peskov said again, will sooner or later have to be consulted, but "the question is whether they really want peace," because Russia, if there are no prospects of an agreement, "will have to resort to force." For the moment, however, the spokesman stressed, no one from Brussels has yet shown up at the Kremlin's door. Moscow: '533 Ukrainian drones shot down overnight over several Russian regions' Russian air defenses intercepted and shot down 533 Ukrainian drones overnight over several regions of Russia. This was reported by the Moscow Defense Ministry, cited by Tass. According to the statement, the fixed-wing unmanned aircraft were neutralized between 8:00 pm on November 14 and 8:00 am on November 15 (local time). The drones were shot down over the regions of Astrakhan, Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Volgograd, Kursk, Lipetsk, Rostov, Saratov, Tula, Ulyanovsk and Krasnodar, as well as over the republics of Tatarstan and Crimea. Interceptions were also reported over the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. In Tatarstan, Russia, a fire broke out at the Nizhny Kama Neftekhim company following an overnight drone attack. The news was spread by the Telegram channel Astra, as reported by Ukrinform. According to the source, some eyewitnesses in Tatarstan filmed a fire of vast proportions. After analyzing the footage, Astra concluded that the fire had affected a petrochemical plant. Before the attack, Tatarstan had declared a state of emergency for drones. However, local authorities did not specify where the drones might have struck. The mayor of Nizhny Kamsk, Radmir Belyaev, reported that "air defense operations are underway." PJSC Nizhnekamskneftekhim (NKNH) is one of the largest petrochemical complexes in Europe. The plant is part of the Sibur holding and produces synthetic rubbers, plastics and ethylene. The Nizhnekamsk industrial zone also hosts the Taneko and Taif-NK oil refineries. This industrial area has been repeatedly targeted by attacks. Kyiv: '132 Russian drones overnight against Ukraine, 106 intercepted' Russia launched 132 drones against Ukraine overnight, including 78 jet-powered Shaheds, as well as Gerbera aircraft and Parodiya decoy drones. This was reported by the Ukrainian air force, cited by RBC-Ukraine. According to preliminary data updated as of 8:00 am local time, Kyiv's air defenses shot down or neutralized 106 unmanned aircraft, including 61 jet-powered Shaheds. The attacks, however, caused impacts in 20 locations across the country. The drones were launched from several directions, from the Russian regions of Bryansk, Orel, Kursk, Millerovo and Primorsko-Akhtarsk, as well as from occupied Crimea and the Donetsk region. To repel the attack, aircraft, anti-aircraft missile systems, electronic warfare units and mobile fire groups were employed. Six people were injured in a Russian attack carried out overnight against Chornomorsk, in the Odessa region, in southern Ukraine. This was reported by the Ukrainian portal RBC-Ukraine, citing emergency services and the local media Dumskaya. In the attack, energy infrastructure was damaged and a four-story administrative building was severely damaged. Two parked cars were set on fire, while the shockwave and shrapnel damaged a gas pipeline and the facades and windows of nearby residential buildings. Rescuers also freed an injured man who was trapped in his apartment, providing first aid before handing him over to medical personnel. According to Dumskaya, the city was left without electricity as a result of the attack. Reproduction reserved © Copyright ANSA