Disinfo: NATO violated its pledge not to move eastwards

Summary

NATO exercises are connected with the desire of the US and its allies to build up the policy of containing the Russian Federation in spite of all the incantations that were uttered in the 90s, and which were embodied in the fundamental act of Russia-NATO.

This act was violated in its key part, which contained NATO's commitment not to move military infrastructure to the east, to the territory of the new members of the alliance.

This is not just a direct violation of those words of honour that were repeatedly uttered by American and some European leaders in conversations with the Soviet leadership, but a direct violation of the document that was signed and which everyone extolled as a model for peaceful coexistence and forging partnership between the Russian Federation and NATO.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about NATO.

There is no evidence that any Western leader ever gave assurances to former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev about NATO’s pledge not to admit new members. Gorbachev himself denied this claim in an interview in 2014:

“The topic of ‘NATO expansion’ was not discussed at all, and it wasn’t brought up in those years. I say this with full responsibility. Not a single Eastern European country raised the issue, not even after the Warsaw Pact ceased to exist in 1991.”

These so-called promises/ incantations/ words of honour- did not exist. NATO members have never made any political or legally binding commitments not to extend the Alliance beyond the borders of a reunified Germany. Read more about the myths and realities of NATO enlargement.

After the Cold War, the alliance and Moscow established relations of mutual respect, which culminated in the signing of the Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security between NATO and the Russian Federation in 1997. Section Four of this document contains the following provision:

“The member States of NATO reiterate that they have no intention, no plan and no reason to deploy nuclear weapons on the territory of new members, nor any need to change any aspect of NATO's nuclear posture or nuclear policy - and do not foresee any future need to do so.”

This phrase already mentions “new members”, to which Russia agreed back then.

Read more similar claiming that NATO pledged not to expand eastwards; NATO forgot promises not to enlarge to the East, The West promised that NATO will not move eastward, It was agreed that NATO would never accept countries that border Russia, The US and Russia had an agreement that NATO wouldn't be enlarged.

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  • Reported in: Issue 265
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 08/11/2021
  • Article language(s) Russian, Armenian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: EU, Russia, US
  • Keywords: NATO, EU/NATO enlargement, Military exercise, West
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