Bill Clinton tried to bribe Boris Yeltsin for NATO to expand eastwards

Former US President Bill Clinton offered Russian President Boris Yeltsin large investments in Russia in the 1990s in exchange for NATO's eastward expansion and Moscow's approval of that expansion.

A number of declassified documents testifying to USA's plans to buy off Russia became available on the website of the US Presidential Library.

According to the documents, Yeltsin responded to Clinton's suggestion by saying that such a measure was like a bribe in exchange for Russia's consent to NATO's expansion to the detriment of her own interests.

Three months later, in May 1997, Boris Yeltsin refused to sign a secret annex to the Russia-NATO Founding Act.

Clinton then told Yeltsin that Russia was "one of the best options for investment" and offered to strengthen cooperation between Russian and American companies. He also said that Russia could become an excellent partner in other areas if Moscow agreed to develop its economy.

The US National Archives also disclosed the contents of Clinton's negotiations with Yeltsin on January 23, 1993. At the time, Clinton informed Yeltsin of the appointment of diplomat Strobe Talbott to evaluate US-Russian cooperation programs. Talbott had spoken of Russia and the countries of the former USSR as "the biggest and most dangerous political mess on Earth."