The US National Security Archive has published transcripts of meetings and telephone conversations between illegitimate Russian President Vladimir Putin and former US President George W. Bush between 2001 and 2008. In particular, the topics of the leaders' meetings concerned the potential membership of the Russian Federation and Ukraine in NATO.
Points of attention
- Putin told Bush that Russians felt "cheated" by the collapse of the Soviet Union.
- The Russian dictator has repeatedly returned to the topic of NATO expansion and hinted at Russia's potential membership in the Alliance.
- Putin called Ukraine an “artificial country” that was formed from the territories of neighboring countries.
Putin declared Russia's rights to Ukraine to US President Bush Jr.
During their first meeting in June 2001 in Slovenia, Putin told Bush that Russians felt "cheated" by the collapse of the Soviet Union.
People in Russia feel cheated by sweeping changes that have brought more freedom that they cannot enjoy. Not only the poor, but also the elite feel disillusioned. What really happened? Soviet goodwill changed the world, voluntarily. And the Russians voluntarily gave up thousands of square kilometers of territory, which was unheard of. Ukraine, which had been part of Russia for centuries, was given up. Kazakhstan was given up. The Caucasus too. It is hard to imagine, and it was the party bosses who did it.
In addition, the Russian dictator has repeatedly returned to the topic of NATO expansion and hinted at Russia's potential membership in the Alliance.
You made an important statement when you said that Russia will not be an enemy... Russia is European and multiethnic, like the United States... I can imagine how we will become allies. It is only imperative that we unite with others. But we feel excluded from NATO. If Russia is not part of this, of course, it feels excluded,” Putin said, adding that in 1954 the Soviet Union applied to join NATO, and he has this document.
George W. Bush responded to Putin's statement by saying, "That's interesting."
Putin stated that NATO denied the USSR entry for four reasons, namely: lack of agreement with Austria, lack of agreement with Germany, totalitarian control over Eastern Europe, and the need for Russia's cooperation in the UN disarmament process.
"Now all these conditions are met. Perhaps Russia could become an ally. But the real question is how we connect Russia with the rest of the civilized world. The thing is that NATO is expanding, and we have no say in this matter," Putin said.
Already during the meeting of the US and Russian presidents in Sochi in 2008, Putin stated that Ukraine's accession to NATO would provoke a conflict between the Russian Federation and the US. When asked why he believed this, Putin replied that Ukraine was an "artificial country" that had been formed from the territories of neighboring countries.
He also stated that 70% of Ukraine's population allegedly opposed joining NATO, and their position is also supported by Russia.
This (Ukraine's accession to NATO) creates the threat of military bases and new military systems being deployed near Russia. This has created uncertainty and threats for us. And by relying on anti-NATO forces in Ukraine, Russia would work to deny NATO the opportunity to expand.
