Invoice Clinton was prepared to contemplate Russian NATO membership – declassified docs — RT World Information
The Nationwide Safety Archive has printed the memorandum of a gathering the previous president had with Vladimir Putin in 2000
Former US President Invoice Clinton promised Russian President Vladimir Putin that he would take into account membership for Russia in NATO, in response to newly declassified paperwork. Clinton additionally claimed that the navy bloc’s growth wouldn’t threaten Moscow, the information present.
The statements had been made throughout a gathering between the 2 leaders within the Kremlin on June 4, 2000, in response to White Home minutes printed on Thursday by the Nationwide Safety Archive, an unbiased analysis institute at George Washington College.
“From the outset of the NATO enlargement course of, I knew that it might be an issue for Russia. I used to be delicate to this, and I would like it understood that NATO enlargement doesn’t threaten Russia in any manner,” Clinton is quoted as saying.
I’m critical about being prepared to debate NATO membership with Russia.
He added that he understood that “home concerns inside Russia” forestall this, however over time the nation “needs to be part of each group that holds the civilized world collectively.”
In line with the paperwork, Putin stated he “supported” the concept.
Final yr, in an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson, Putin stated he had introduced up the topic with Clinton. Whereas Clinton agreed at first, he later dismissed the concept after speaking to his staff, the Russian chief stated.
Had Clinton agreed, it could have led to a brand new interval of “rapprochement” between Moscow and the navy bloc, Putin added.
NATO has expanded six occasions because the two leaders’ dialog in 2000, including 12 extra nations throughout this time.
After “wave after wave of growth… we had been consistently informed: ‘You shouldn’t worry this, it poses no menace to you’,” Putin stated in June, including that “they merely dismissed our considerations, refusing to acknowledge and even take into account our place.”
“We all know higher than anybody what threatens us and what doesn’t,” he stated.
Moscow has cited Kiev’s ambition to affix NATO as one of many core causes of the present battle, which it views as a proxy warfare being orchestrated by the navy bloc towards Russia.
