Britain Floated NATO Membership For Russia In 1995

First Russian President Boris Yeltsin

Daily Mail: Secret plan to bring Russia in from the cold and make it an 'associate member' of Nato in the 1990s was dismissed as 'farcical' by MPs, memo reveals

* Cabinet held foreign policy discussion on the subject at Chequers in 1995
* Defence secretary Malcolm Rifkind's department said 'integrating Russia into the Western family...' was 'the most difficult problem we face'
* Russia couldn't have full membership and military commitment that went with it
Possible solution was to 'create a new category of associate member' - giving Russia the status to attend meetings

Russia could have been made an 'associate member' of Nato to bring it back into the fold after the Cold War, declassified files reveal.

A discussion of foreign policy at Chequers – the prime minister's countryside retreat – reveals that the prospect was considered by the Cabinet in 1995.

Defence secretary Malcolm Rifkind's department said that 'integrating Russia into the Western family of nations in a realistic and sensitive way' was 'the most difficult problem we face'.

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WNU Editor:  Russia would not have accepted such a proposal. Even if it was serious. Call it pride.

More News On Britain Floating NATO Membership For Russia In 1995

MoD proposed Russian membership of Nato in 1995, files reveal -- The Guardian
National archives: Officials floated 'farcical' idea of Russia joining Nato -- BBC
Secret documents from 1990s reveal ‘farcical’ plans to allow Russia to join Nato -- The Independent
Britain Floated NATO Membership for Russia, Archives Reveal -- Moscow Times
UK Mulled Offering Russia Spot in NATO to Aid Alliance's Expansion to East -- Sputnik