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Putin complains that Russia not admitted to NATO twice

02 October 2025 21:22 (UTC +04:00)

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Moscow expressed its readiness to join NATO in 1954 and 2000, but was rejected, APA reports citing TASS.

According to him, then-US President Bill Clinton initially acknowledged such a possibility, but later "changed his mind" after consulting with colleagues, according to Russian president's statement.

"Our country, trying to eliminate the grounds for bloc confrontation, to create a common security space, twice announced its readiness to join NATO. The first time was in 1954, and the second time was during US President Clinton's visit to Moscow in 2000, and we were practically rejected, and from the threshold... Our Western colleagues are not ready to abandon the captivity of geopolitical and historical stereotypes. I spoke personally with Clinton, and he told me that it was possible. And then in the evening he says: "I consulted with my people and... well, it's unrealistic," said Putin.