Stoltenberg Acknowledges Putin Invaded Ukraine Over NATO Expansion

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg acknowledged last week that Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine last year to prevent NATO from expanding into the country.

“The background was that President Putin declared in the autumn of 2021, and actually sent a draft treaty that they wanted NATO to sign, to promise no more NATO enlargement,” Stoltenberg told EU Parliament officials, referring to a series of security proposals Russia sent to the US and NATO in December 2021.

“That was what he sent us,” Stoltenberg continued. “And was a precondition for not invade Ukraine. Of course we didn’t sign that.” Chief among Russia’s demands was a guarantee that Ukraine would never join NATO, an issue the Biden administration refused to address.