Putin, at least, says he wanted to join NATO back in 2000 (according to the Stone interview). But he put it, "the U.S. delegation got very nervous." Granted t

Putin, at least, says he wanted to join NATO back in 2000 (according to the Stone interview). But he put it, "the U.S. delegation got very nervous." Granted this was well before his total Machtergreifung, and he definitely was not equated with "Russia" at the time like he is now. But that's his telling of events, in any case.