USSR and Russia asked to enter NATO, Putin argues: “I was categorically rejected every time”
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a meeting with Deputy Mayor Marat Khusnullin, in Kremlin, Moscow, on September 30, 2025. Photo: Vladimir Putin, Credit Line: Alexander Kazakov / AP / Profimedia
Russian President Vladimir Putin reproached Kiev to the European allies on Thursday that they are the main obstacle to the conflict resolution in Ukraine and suggested that they deal with their internal problems than to feed the “hysteria” of a war with Moscow and claimed that the Soviet Union and then Russia had once asked for these agencies. Efe.
The “European elites continue to feed the hysteria” of a conflict with Russia, Putin noted in an intervention at the Valdai discussion club, held in the Soci resort in the Black Sea. According to European leaders, “it seems that the war with Russia is almost at the door. They repeat this nonsense endlessly,” the Kremlin leader added.
“All NATO countries are fighting against us.” Putin threatens with a quick response and causes the West “to deal with the paper tiger”
“Honestly, I just want to tell them: Calm down, sleep quietly and see your own problems. Just look at what is happening on the streets of European cities, in what state are the economy, industry, culture and identity, huge debts, increasing crisis, social assistance!” “Pay attention to the fact that Europe has reached the outskirts of global competition!” He added, according to Agerpres.
When Putin claims that Russia was rejected
“Our country, seeking to eliminate the bases of confrontation between blocks and create a common security space, has been declared twice including the availability to join NATO,” Russian president said.
The first time this happened “in 1954, in the time of the Soviet Union”, and the second time was “during the visit of US President Bill Clinton to Moscow”, but “every time I was practically categorically rejected”, and Clinton then stated that the idea of Russia's accession to NATO seemed interesting and possible, but it was possible.
According to the Kremlin leader, Russia was willing to collaborate with the West in “global security and stability issues.”
“But our Western colleagues were reluctant to free themselves from the claws of geopolitical and historical stereotypes, from the simplified and schematic vision on the world,” Putin said.
