Kissinger: NATO’s expansion should have stopped at Poland, and Ukraine should play a neutral role, like Finland, in relations between Russia and the West
The Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger considered that NATO expansion should have stopped at Poland, and Ukraine should have played a neutral role, like Finland, in relations between Russia and the West.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Kissinger said: “I consider that Poland and all the countries that have traditionally been part of the history of the West should be members of NATO… With regard to Ukraine, I supported playing a role similar to Finland’s”.
He added that it was a mistake on the part of NATO to give signals to Ukraine about the possibility of joining NATO and that the security concerns expressed by Russian President Vladimir Putin should be taken seriously.
Kissinger noted that Ukraine represents a group of territories that gravitate towards Russia, and Russia considers it its territory, although “some Ukrainians” do not agree with this.
Emphasizing that the situation has changed as a result of the Russian military operation in Ukraine, he said: “I think now, one way or another, officially or not, when all this is over, Ukraine should be treated as a member of NATO”.
