Russian President Vladimir Putin, during an address to the Russians, said that the United States is making an enemy out of Russia only because they do not need such a big country as Russia. This is how Mr. Putin commented on the reaction to Russia’s proposals on security guarantees. The President also said that in 2000 he spoke with then US President Bill Clinton about the US attitude towards the possibility of Russia joining NATO, and the reaction was restrained.
“I will say something that I have never said publicly. In 2000, during a visit to Moscow by outgoing US President Bill Clinton, I asked him: “How would America feel about accepting Russia into NATO?” Vladimir Putin said. The reaction to this question was very restrained, and how the United States really reacted to this opportunity, it can be seen in practice, Mr. Putin said.
“I want to ask why all this? For what? Okay, if you don’t want to see us as a friend and ally, then why make an enemy out of us?” asked the President of the Russian Federation. According to him, there is only one answer. “It’s not about our political regime or anything else. They just don’t need such a big, independent country as Russia. This is the answer to all questions. This is the source of traditional American policy in the Russian direction,” Vladimir Putin said. Hence the attitude to all our proposals in the field of security, the President of the Russian Federation noted.
Mr. Putin said that Russia now has every right to take retaliatory measures to ensure its security. “I want to say clearly and directly that in the current situation, when our proposals for an equal dialogue on fundamental issues have remained virtually unanswered by the United States and NATO, when the level of threats to our country is significantly increasing, Russia has every right to take retaliatory measures to ensure its own security,” Putin said. He noted that Russia would do just that.
In December 2021, Russia presented a project on security guarantees in Europe. The main requirement is the non-expansion of NATO. In January, the United States and NATO handed over to Russia a response to the submitted draft. Moscow believes that Washington has ignored Russia’s key demands. The US has stated that it does not intend to abandon NATO’s open door policy and return the alliance to its 1997 positions.
More details about the situation can be found in the publication “Kommersant” “Drag and drop response”.