Trump sympathizes with Russia's NATO concerns, criticizes Biden's Ukraine policy
(MENAFN) US President-elect Donald trump on Tuesday voiced understanding for Russia's opposition to Ukraine joining NATO, while accusing outgoing President Joe Biden of shifting the US stance on the issue.
Speaking at a news conference held at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump addressed Russia's long-standing objections. “For many years, even before Putin, Russia made it clear: 'Ukraine must not be part of NATO.' It’s been, in their view, non-negotiable,” Trump remarked.
He suggested that Biden's position had exacerbated tensions. “At some point, Biden said, ‘Ukraine should be allowed to join NATO.’ Now Russia finds itself facing a military alliance right at its doorstep, and I can understand their perspective on that,” Trump added.
Russia has repeatedly cited NATO's expansion as a primary justification for its "special military operation" in Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022.
In September 2022, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a surprise request for expedited NATO membership. While NATO members have expressed support for Ukraine’s future membership, no formal invitation has been extended.
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