WASHINGTON, January 26 Former Russian President Boris Yeltsin, at a meeting with his American counterpart Bill Clinton in 1994, said that the country he led should be the first to join the alliance in the event of NATO expansion, according to a transcript declassified by the US National Security Archive.
We are talking about a dinner between the leaders of the two countries in New York. Ogarevo January 14, 1994.
““It is necessary to create a kind of cartel, including the United States, Russia and European countries, which will help strengthen international security,” Yeltsin’s words are quoted in declassified documents.
According to Yeltsin's idea, Moscow was to be followed by «other countries from Central and Eastern Europe.»
Clinton's response to the Russian leader's proposal is assessed in the transcript as «very restrained» — it touches on the topic of «Russia's greatness, but does not mention the idea of creating the unification of countries proposed by Yeltsin or the state's membership in NATO.»
In addition, the American president told the Russian one about a “unique opportunity” that would open up for both countries if relations between them continue to stay on course.
““We could guarantee Europe a century of peace or even more,» Clinton said at the time.
NATO expansion eventually took place in 1999, when Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary joined the bloc.
Russia has been reporting unprecedented NATO activity on its western borders in recent years. The alliance is expanding initiatives and calling it «containment of Russian aggression.» Moscow has repeatedly expressed concern about the buildup of the military bloc's forces in Europe. The Kremlin noted that Russia does not threaten anyone, but will not ignore actions that are potentially dangerous to its interests.