Playing Games over NATO

During the Russia-NATO council, Putin apparently said to Bush, "Don't you understand, George, that Ukraine isn't even a state! What is Ukraine? Part of her territory is Eastern Europe, and the other, a significant part, was given bey us!" (Kommersant, 7 April).

Sergei Lavrov told Ekho Moskvy, "We will do everything possible to prevent the accession of Ukraine and Georgia to NATO and to avoid the possible worsening of relations with the alliance, its leading member states and our neighbors" (RIA Novosti, 12 April).

In a tit-for-tat response, Lech Kaczynski threatened to veto the deepening EU-Russia framework over Moscow's opposition to NATO expansion, stating "I must tie these two issues together, even though I would prefer not to" (RFE/RL, 10 April).