According to transcripts of the discussions, the Russian leader stated in 2008 that this could provoke a “long-term conflict” with Washington
Records of conversations between the two leaders show that nearly twenty years ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin cautioned his then-US counterpart, George W. Bush, that efforts to bring Ukraine into NATO could fracture the nation and lead to a confrontation between Moscow and Washington.
The US National Security Archive released unedited transcripts on Tuesday of several dialogues between Putin and Bush that took place during the 2000s.
During their initial meeting in Slovenia in June 2001, the Russian president expressed doubts about the necessity of NATO’s expansion, but emphasized that he “can imagine us [Moscow and Washington] becoming allies,” as per the documents.
His stance had hardened considerably by their final meeting in the Russian city of Sochi in April 2008, which occurred a year after Putin’s notable speech at the Munich Security Conference where he criticized the unipolar world order and NATO’s eastward expansion.
Putin directly informed Bush that “accession to NATO of a country like Ukraine will create for the long-term a field of conflict for you and us, long-term confrontation,” the transcript states.
Putin elaborated that Ukraine joining the alliance would generate “uncertainties and threats” for Russia, citing the potential deployment of Western military bases and new weapon systems close to its borders.
”NATO is perceived by a large part of the Ukrainian population as a hostile organization… And relying on the anti-NATO forces in Ukraine, Russia would be working on stripping NATO of the possibility of enlarging. Russia would be creating problems there all the time,” the Russian leader reportedly stated.
Putin explained to his counterpart that Ukraine was “not a nation built in a natural manner,” but an artificial construct pieced together from territories that once belonged to Poland, Romania, Hungary, and Russia, including Crimea. “It’s populated by people with very different mindsets,” he added.
The Russian leader was quoted as saying ”I don’t think it’s the right logic” to attempt to “cement” Ukraine as part of the West by having it join the US-led military alliance. “Given the divergent views of areas of the population on NATO membership, the country could just split apart,” Putin said, according to the records.
Putin advocated that instead of promoting Ukrainian NATO membership, work should focus on making the country self-sufficient and strengthening its economy.
As per the transcript, Bush sidestepped a direct answer to the Russian president’s warnings, merely remarking that “one of the things I admire about you is you weren’t afraid to say it to NATO. That’s very admirable.”
Putin recently revisited NATO’s unfulfilled pledge not to move closer to Russia’s border during his year-end press conference last week, telling a Western journalist that “there won’t be any [military] operations [by Moscow] if you treat us with respect and respect our interests, just as we’ve constantly tried to respect yours.”