Russian Communist Leader Zyuganov Visits USA 🇺🇸

(22 Feb 1997) Russian/Nat

While U-S Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is hearing from leaders in Russia that they are opposed to an eastward expansion of NATO, Russian Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov has echoed those sentiments in Washington.

In a speech at the National Press Club, Zyuganov warned that a NATO expansion must be prevented.

On the second day of his five day visit to the United States, Russian Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov echoed warnings from Russia against NATO expansion eastward.

The communist leader said Moscow feels threatened by NATO's plans, and any expansion to include Russia must be stopped.

SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"The eastern European countries have very rare opportunities to be the zone of peace and stability between Russia and the West, and to benefit a lot from that. If we were to lose that type of opportunity I believe would be a very serious mistake. We do have a consensus in our society that in all political spectrums, across all political spectrums, the NATO expansion must be prevented.
SUPER CAPTION: Gennady Zyuganov, Leader of the Communist faction, State Duma of the Russian Federation

Zyuganov warned that the Balkans will never be members of NATO, adding that would be against national security interests.

SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"Believe me, the Baltic states will never be members, if all of you will insist of it. It will be a direct threat to the national security of Russia."
SUPER CAPTION: Gennady Zyuganov, Leader of the Communist faction, State Duma of the Russian federation

In his drive to be the next Russian President, Zyuganov condemned Russian leader Boris Yeltsin, saying its time for the President to step down.

The communist leader also used the platform to criticise his likely opponent in the next Russian presidential elections, Alexander Lebed, for supporting Yeltsin in the past.

SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"Mr. Lebed and some other political figures, like Rushkof, did his best to support Mr. Yeltsin on the former elections, and after that, as you know, Mr. Yeltsin is completely unable to run the country."
SUPER CAPTION: Gennady Zyuganov, Leader of the Communist faction, State Duma of the Russian federation

Zyuganov was defeated by Yeltsin in Russia's presidential runoff last July...but he's made it well known that his plans to become Russia's next president are far from over.

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