Bill Clinton says he knew it was “only a matter of time” before Putin invaded Ukraine after his meeting

Bill Clinton has revealed that he knew as far back as 2011 that it was “only a matter of time” before Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, after the warmonger delivered a chilling warning to the former US president.

During a tense discussion among leaders in Davos, Switzerland, the Russian president made it clear that he would not honor a deal not to violate Ukraine’s borders.

The US-brokered deal between Putin’s predecessor Boris Yeltsin and Kiev stated that Ukrainian territory would be respected in exchange for giving up its Soviet-era nuclear arsenal.

Vladimir Putin told me in 2011 – three years before he took Crimea – that he did not agree with the agreement I had made with Boris Yeltsin. FT quoted the former US president at an event in New York.

‘He said…’I don’t agree. And I don’t support it. And I’m not bound by it.’ And from that day on I knew it was only a matter of time.’

The meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and then US President Bill Clinton in 2000

The revelation was made during a joint appearance at an investment firm conversation with his wife, former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, in which the pair used to push for more aid to Ukraine.

Former presidential candidate Clinton also lashed out at Putin, whom she previously blamed for helping to undermine her election campaign against former President Donald Trump.

She said Putin is engaged in what he sees as a just fight to undermine Western democracy and, as far as he can, restore the Russian Empire. So he’s not going to stop.’

Democratic politicians also reiterated the importance of Western support for Ukraine, saying that continuing to supply arms could help the country win the war.

A united Western response, they said, could also deter China from its ambitions in Taiwan in the near term – with Ms Clinton saying Xi Jinping had taken note of the position of the US, UK and others.

She added that she would “not trust Putin under any circumstances” at a negotiating table, saying the only way the war could end would be if Ukraine secured “leverage” – either military defeat or regaining power. its lost territory.

The Clintons’ strong warnings come after Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov escalated tensions by claiming the US was behind a drone strike that Russia says was launched by Kiev to assassinate Putin.

The Kremlin spokesman insisted – without providing any evidence – that the US was “undoubtedly” behind the attack it said was carried out by Ukraine.

Former presidential candidate Mrs. Clinton also lashed out at Putin, whom she previously blamed for helping to undermine her election bid against former President Donald Trump

It comes after Russia said the US was behind a drone strike the Kremlin says was launched by Kiev to assassinate Putin. Pictured at a meeting on May 3

The White House has flatly dismissed the claims as “lies.”

“Decisions about such attacks are not made in Kiev, but in Washington,” an irate Peskov said. “Kiev only does what it has to do. Attempts to deny this, both in Kiev and Washington, are, of course, utterly ridiculous.’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denied Russia’s claims that Ukraine was behind the drone attack on the Kremlin and British security officials believe the attack was a “false flag” operation by Russia to distract Kiev from its anticipated counter-offensive and gain support collect in the home country.

About 40 explosive-laden drones with “for Moscow” scribbled on them were fired by Putin’s forces at cities miles from the front line, with explosions heard in the capital Kyiv and the southern cities of Odessa and Zaporizhzhia.

While Ukraine has demonstrated its ability to launch such attacks against the Kremlin, it is considered unlikely that Kiev would risk breaking international support by targeting the dictator directly.

A Russian false flag attack seemed a more likely explanation, with the explosion intended to generate support for Putin and further Russian attacks on Kiev, British officials said last night.