Yeltsin said at the meeting of the presidents that Russia could take care of Europe’s security. The United States could take over other countries.
President of Russia Boris Yeltsin asked in 1999 for the United States to give Europe to Russia, according to the National Security Archive from a document published by the US administration.
Yeltsin made a request to the US president For Bill Clinton when they meet in Turkey on November 19.
– Give Europe to Russia. The US is not in Europe. Europe should be a matter for Europeans. Russia is half European and half Asian, says Yeltsin, according to the US report.
Clinton replied, apparently trying to joke:
– Do you want Asia too?
– Sure, sure, Bill. In the end, we have to agree on all this, Yeltsin replied.
Clinton states that Europeans would hardly like giving Europe to Russia very much.
Yeltsin said that the United States can take all other states and take care of their security. Russia would guarantee Europe’s security. Yeltsin also thinks that Europe has never felt so close to Russia before.
The meeting was the last for the men. The following year, he was elected president of Russia Vladimir Putin, who was Yeltsin’s candidate. Yeltsin praised Putin and predicted to Clinton that he would be elected president. Yeltsin said that he himself would do everything for it.
Yeltsin thought that Putin would continue to follow his lines regarding the economy and democracy and expand contacts with Russia.
On Yeltsin’s proposal to Clinton previously reported by, among others, Helsingin Sanomat.