As for American policy in the ...
As for American policy in the Russian direction, the process of NATO expansion is not intended to 'contain' Russia, which is not necessary, but to weaken it, to make Russia more accommodating when it comes to its national interests. By agreeing to the unrestrained expansion of NATO, the United States did not take into account Russia's extremely negative attitude towards the admission of the former republics of the Soviet Union to the North Atlantic Alliance. We had no written agreement with the United States on this matter.
But, as Russian Foreign Minister, I repeatedly told Madeleine Albright, Strobe Talbot, and my other American colleagues that admitting former Soviet republics to NATO meant crossing a 'red line' for us. In response, I heard: there is no reason to assume that this will happen in the near future. But it happened.
US Secretary of State Condo Rice did not hide the fact that Ukraine and Georgia are considered the main candidates for admission to NATO. Their participation in NATO is a short-sighted policy. This will not only antagonize Russia's relations with the United States and NATO, but will strengthen anti-Western, nationalist sentiments and the forces corresponding to such sentiments within the country. Already on the eve of Ukraine's rapprochement with NATO, voices are increasingly heard in Russia demanding not to extend the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Russia and Ukraine, which expires in April 2009. According to this agreement, Russia actually recognized the annexation of Crimea to Ukraine - a gift that, without consulting anyone, N. S. Khrushchev presented to Kyiv. True, then the administrative boundaries between the Soviet republics did not play such a big role in the eyes of the public, but now that they have become state borders, the situation has changed. There are many in Russia who do not agree with the transfer of Crimea to Ukraine. There are even more of those who are against the separation from Russia of the city of Russian military glory, as it is called, not without reason, Sevastopol. The number of such dissenters will inevitably increase when Ukraine joins NATO. I exclude the prospect of using force in Russian-Ukrainian relations. But if Ukraine joins NATO, the issue of basing the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol will inevitably become more acute. This is also related to the contract.
But, as Russian Foreign Minister, I repeatedly told Madeleine Albright, Strobe Talbot, and my other American colleagues that admitting former Soviet republics to NATO meant crossing a 'red line' for us. In response, I heard: there is no reason to assume that this will happen in the near future. But it happened.
US Secretary of State Condo Rice did not hide the fact that Ukraine and Georgia are considered the main candidates for admission to NATO. Their participation in NATO is a short-sighted policy. This will not only antagonize Russia's relations with the United States and NATO, but will strengthen anti-Western, nationalist sentiments and the forces corresponding to such sentiments within the country. Already on the eve of Ukraine's rapprochement with NATO, voices are increasingly heard in Russia demanding not to extend the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Russia and Ukraine, which expires in April 2009. According to this agreement, Russia actually recognized the annexation of Crimea to Ukraine - a gift that, without consulting anyone, N. S. Khrushchev presented to Kyiv. True, then the administrative boundaries between the Soviet republics did not play such a big role in the eyes of the public, but now that they have become state borders, the situation has changed. There are many in Russia who do not agree with the transfer of Crimea to Ukraine. There are even more of those who are against the separation from Russia of the city of Russian military glory, as it is called, not without reason, Sevastopol. The number of such dissenters will inevitably increase when Ukraine joins NATO. I exclude the prospect of using force in Russian-Ukrainian relations. But if Ukraine joins NATO, the issue of basing the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol will inevitably become more acute. This is also related to the contract.
