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When Russian President Vladimir Putin was extended the courtesy of being allowed to speak to the Nato summit, it was with the caveat that he would not condemn the organisation too harshly for its creeping movement into what was Soviet Union territory.
Putin has, for some time, been a critic of the overtures made by Europe, through the European Union and Nato, for former Soviet satellite states to join the Western bodies. Those that have joined were ultimately accepted by Russian pragmatism as being a fait accompli.
However, as Putin has implied many times, Russian acquiescence can only go so far, and it should not be tried to its limit. There has, on occasion, been a certain element of testing the waters in regard to taking retaliatory measures.
This was evidenced when Russia deemed it necessary to turn off export energy supplies in the height of winter to countries which were deemed not to be complying with Russian demands.
So, Nato leaders, being prepared for the unexpected, were probably surprised to hear Putin tell them that Russia was prepared to go along with Nato, as long as Russia's interests were remembered and respected. But, in private to news reporters, he did question the need of Nato since the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
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