Europe News

Russia: NATO's expansion follows "Cold War logic"

Apr 8, 2008, 16:31 GMT

Moscow - Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday that NATO's willingness to enlarge eastward had 'nothing positive' about it and followed 'a Cold War logic.'

Lavrov had tough words for the alliance's decision last week to keep its doors open to former Soviet states wishing to join.

'We will do everything in our power to prevent Georgia and Ukraine's acceptance into NATO,' Lavrov was quoted as saying Tuesday in an interview with radio station Ekho Moskvy.

Russia views NATO's expansion eastward as a betrayal and an effort by Western states to persevere in the Cold War policy of containment.

'This enlargement in spirit follows the logic of the Cold War, its spirit of confrontation and its spirit of territorial annexation,' Russia's foreign minister said.

He renewed Russia's protest against NATO's attempt to present itself as an organization promoting democracy.

NATO's readiness to consider Kiev and Tbilisi's bid for membership 'runs counter to its own logic,' Lavrov said, citing protests from Georgia's two separatist regions and very low sympathy in Ukraine for joining the alliance.