Defence Secretary Malcolm Rifkind once considered plans to make Russia an associate NATO member, secret documents reveal.
A January 1995 memo ahead of a foreign policy summit suggested the opportunity to change the relationship with Russia and Central Europe for the first time since the end of the Cold War.
A note from Mr Rifkind’s department identified how “integrating Russia into the European and Western family of nations in a realistic and sensitive way” was “the most difficult problem we face”.
The revelation came in a memo among a tranche of declassified documents at the National Archives at Kew.
A possible solution, it was claimed, was to “create a new category of Associate Member of NATO”, giving Russia a formal status to attend meetings.
Aides agreed to keep the suggestion confidential ahead of the summit at Chequers, the Prime Minister’s country retreat.
(Image: PA)
Minutes from the summit described how the then Chancellor, Ken Clarke, “was cautious about (NATO) expansion”.
It added: “At the extreme, some were even contemplating including Russia in NATO.
“That was farcical and should not be on our agenda.”
Mr Rifkind agreed Russia should not become a full alliance member, but stressed the need to make it “a more normal member of our western family”, or risk it reverting to authoritarianism.
