Is It All Bill Clinton's Fault?

The documents, published by the non-profit research organization National Security Archive at George Washington University, include notes taken by diplomat and translator Strobe Talbott, then U.S. Deputy Secretary of State and a fluent Russian speaker, during a meeting between Clinton and Putin at the Kremlin in June 2000.

According to the records, Clinton assured Putin that NATO’s eastward expansion posed no threat to Moscow and even expressed openness to the possibility of Russia joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

"From the very beginning of NATO’s expansion, I knew it could be a problem for Russia. I understood that, and I want everyone to understand that NATO expansion does not threaten Russia in any way," Clinton said.

He further stressed: "If our successors focus on each other as the main threat, they will miss the opportunity to work together to solve common problems."

Yet, the declassified documents note that the very next day, Clinton was “much less open on this issue.”

Clinton Called for Cooperation on Bin Laden

The documents also reveal that Clinton urged closer cooperation between Washington and Moscow in the hunt for terrorist leader Osama bin Laden.

"As far as the United States is concerned, we face a more direct threat from Bin Laden. That is where Russia and the United States need a coordinated strategy. Airstrikes will not be effective. We must bring our people together to prepare a comprehensive approach to fighting bin Laden," Clinton reportedly said.

Putin’s Retrospective View

Sputnik, which reported on the declassified documents, recalls that in a February 2024 interview with U.S. journalist Tucker Carlson, Putin claimed Russia could have become a NATO member in the early 2000s if Washington had shown genuine interest.

The Russian president voiced a similar position in February 2022, when he recounted his conversation with Clinton. According to Putin, the U.S. leader was “cold” toward the idea of Russia joining the alliance.