Russia’s lie about NATO expansion as the “reason” for its aggression against Ukraine does not stand up to scrutiny, especially when compared to the words of Russian leader Vladimir Putin himself from 2004.
This was stated by Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi on social network X, Ukrinform reports.
“April 8, 2004. Putin welcomes NATO Secretary-General to Moscow, declaring: ‘Every country has the right to choose the option that it considers most effective for ensuring its own security,’” the diplomat recalled.
According to him, quotes from the Kremlin website show that the Russian leader at that time “also hoped NATO enlargement would “strengthen trust in Europe and all over the world.”
“Fast forward to today, and the same Putin speaks of Russia being “deceived” by NATO enlargement, which presumably poses a “threat” to Russia,” Tykhyi noted.
The diplomat emphasized that “Russia’s favorite propaganda fairy tale about NATO’s ‘promises’ to Moscow in 1990 not to move eastward has also been repeatedly refuted, in particular by Mikhail Gorbachev, the then Soviet leader.”
“The truth is crystal clear: NATO expansion has never posed a real threat to Russia. It only denied Moscow the ability to conquer sovereign European nations. This is what Putin is really protesting.”
Tykhyi called the Kremlin leader a pathological liar who is trying to rewrite history and justify his imperial war of conquest.
“This has always been the driving force behind Central and Eastern European countries’ desire to join NATO. To protect their children from Russia’s war and attempts at colonial domination,” the Foreign Ministry spokesman stressed.
Tykhyi called for “keeping this in mind next time” when Putin or someone else talks about NATO “provoking” Russia to attack its neighbors.
As reported by Ukrinform, Russian officials are trying to influence NATO member states’ intentions to increase defense spending by falsely presenting Russia’s efforts to expand its military capabilities as a defensive response to the Alliance’s actions.
Source: FM spox calls Putin pathological liar trying to rewrite history and justify war
