New York Post By Mark Moore and Samuel Chamberlain
The White House floated an offer to Russian President Vladimir Putin that would allow Kremlin access to key NATO bases in exchange for Moscow de-escalating tensions over its military buildup on Ukraineâs border.
The proposal was included in Washingtonâs response last week to Moscowâs demands for so-called âsecurity guaranteesâ from the West, including barring Ukraine and other former Soviet states from becoming NATO members and rolling back forces from Eastern Europe.
The responses to Russia from the US and NATO were leaked to the Spanish newspaper El Pais and published late Tuesday. The Pentagon confirmed the authenticity of the documents Wednesday. âWe did not make this document public,â spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
âBut now that it is, it confirms to the entire world what we have always been saying: There is no daylight between our public statements and our private discussions.
