Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said that due to NATO expansion, Crimea and Russia were reunited.
He said this in an interview with Spiegel via Gazeta.ru.
He noted that the countries of Eastern Europe and before the events of 2014 could decide whether they want to be in the European Union or NATO.
“However, this did not end there, then the discussion went in a different direction – and primarily because of America – about the admission of Georgia and Ukraine to NATO,” said Schroeder.
According to him, it was a strategy of encircling Russia, which at that time was “much more open to cooperation” with Europe and the North Atlantic Alliance.
Google News!The ex-chancellor also said that the return of Crimea is “a violation of international law.” At the same time, Schroeder pointed out that such a statement does not affect the question of the reason why this happened.
“Presumably, Ukraine would join NATO, as America wanted. Then Sevastopol, one of the most important seaports in Russia, would be on the territory of the Western alliance, ”said Schroeder.
In March 2014, a referendum was held in Crimea, as a result of which the peninsula became a territorial part of Russia, and Sevastopol became a city of federal significance.
