this post was submitted on 03 Sep 2023
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Russia's diplomats were once a key part of President Putin's foreign policy strategy. But that has all changed.

In the years leading up to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, diplomats lost their authority, their role reduced to echoing the Kremlin's aggressive rhetoric.

BBC Russian asks former diplomats, as well as ex-Kremlin and White House insiders, how Russian diplomacy broke down.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago (3 children)

It might be hard to imagine now, but Mr Putin himself told the BBC back in 2000 that "Russia is ready to co-operate with Nato... right up to joining the alliance".

"I cannot imagine my country isolated from Europe," he added.

Back then, early in his presidency, Mr Putin was eager to build ties with the West, a former senior Kremlin official told the BBC.

Gotta wonder how Russia never ended up being able to NATO despite this.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It’s simple, they never actually asked to join.

[–] severien 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Russia / Putin didn't want to follow standard procedure, feeling entitled for a special treatment.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Like when the US illegally invades Iraq and murders millions of civilians against UN orders

[–] severien 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Lol, what a fine example of whataboutism. We're talking about a procedure to enter NATO and you whatabout Iraq. How about we talk about the crimes of Ivan the Terrible instead?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I’m starting to think there are Russian shills ITT.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Declassified (by the US) documents mention that Putin wanted to join without waiting in queue with "insignificant countries" (in early 2000s, who would that be? Baltic countries?), and as late as 2012 there was a contract for usage Russian airport as transit hub to Afghanistan (https://m.gazeta.ru/politics/2012/06/29_a_4650373.shtml, was looking specifically for pro-Russian media as a source)