Journalisten Matt Lee konfronterar John Kirby: Du anklagar Ryssland för att ligga för nära NATO

RYSSLAND & NATO. John Kirby som är Coordinator for Strategic Communications vid National Security Council och är stationerad i Vita Huset blir grillad av journalisten Matt Lee, som ställer svåra frågor om “geografin” för NATO och Ryssland.

Matt Lee menar att Ryssland anklagas för att ligga för nära NATO, trots att det är NATO som är placerat i Europa och därefter har expanderat allt närmare Rysslands gränser.

NewsVoice återger nedkortat konversationen mellan Lee och Kirby i Vita Huset från november 2022.

Matt Lee (AP): “I’m just wondering if you’re able to look at this and say the reason that the Russian army is at NATO’s doorstep is because NATO has expanded rather than Russia expanding? In other words, NATO has moved closer to Russia rather than Russia moving closer to NATO. Is that not an accurate way to look at this?”

John Kirby: “I think that’s the way President Putin probably looks at it. It’s certainly not the way that we look at it.”

Matt Lee: “You don’t think that NATO has expanded eastward toward Russia?”

John Kirby: “NATO has expanded.”

Matt Lee: “Okay. So the reason that the Russian army is at NATO’s doorstep is not the fault of the Russians – it’s not the Russian army that’s done it.”

John Kirby: “I’m pretty sure it wasn’t NATO who was ordering upwards of 15 battalion tactical groups to within 10 kilometers of the border with Ukraine. And I’m pretty sure it wasn’t NATO who put little green men inside Ukraine to destabilize eastern cities.”

Matt Lee: “Okay. Well, I’m pretty sure that Ukraine is not a member of NATO. So unless that has changed [interrupted by Kirby] if NATO has moved east, the reason that the Russian army is closer or on NATO’s doorstep is because NATO moved [interrupted by Kirby]“

John Kirby: “NATO is not an anti-Russia alliance. NATO is a security alliance.”

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