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Former US President Bill Clinton: “Sometimes you just have to take a risk”
Photo: Martin Divisek / EPA
March 12, 1999 is an important date in the history of NATO: the former Eastern Bloc states Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary joined the transatlantic defense alliance.
Back then, Bill Clinton was President of the USA - now, 25 years later, he defended the countries' admission into NATO against criticism during a visit to Prague.
It was the right decision, said the 77-year-old at a conference on the anniversary of the accession.
"Sometimes you just have to take a risk - and that's what everyone involved decided to do 25 years ago," said Clinton, looking back.
»I think it was a good investment.«
Clinton thanked Czech President Petr Pavel for his initiative to find 800,000 artillery shells in third countries outside the EU for Ukraine, which was attacked by Russia.
"We have to stand by Ukraine - as long as it fights," said the ex-president.
At the same time, he expressed the hope that one day we would have other options.
Everyone has an expiration date, including Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Critics of NATO's first eastward expansion in 1999 complained at the time that Moscow's security interests were being ignored.
Clinton emphasized that during his two terms in office from 1993 to 2001 he tried to involve the Russians, for example with the NATO-Russia Council.
“We gave them the chance to participate,” he said.
He doesn't regret that for a moment.
Pavel awarded Clinton the Tomas Garrigue Masaryk Order.
During the anniversary celebrations, the German Air Force took part in an overflight over Prague.
Two Eurofighters and an Airbus A-400M military transporter as well as three Czech Gripen fighter jets could be seen over the historic city center.
til/dpa