Lavrov said he welcomed the interviewers question regarding whether Ukraine can be part of NATO, recognizing it as a chance to shoehorn background information into the interview. It was an opportunity to explain Moscows position to a wide English-speaking international audience – first and foremost Americans. His comments seemed partly aimed at those so malnourished on "mainstream media" that they might be learning the history of NATO enlargement for the first time. Lavrov said:

"In my view, it all started … back in the 1990s, when in spite of all the pronouncements about how the Cold War was over and that there should be no winners – yet, NATO looked upon itself as a winner."