Fact Check: Nato made agreement with Russia not to move further east

Fact Check: "NATO Made Agreement with Russia Not to Move Further East"

What We Know

The claim that NATO made an agreement with Russia not to expand eastward primarily stems from discussions between Western leaders and Soviet officials during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Notably, U.S. Secretary of State James Baker assured Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev that NATO would not move "one inch eastward" during a meeting on February 9, 1990, as part of a broader dialogue surrounding German reunification (NATO Expansion: What Gorbachev Heard). This assurance was echoed by other Western leaders, including West German Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher, who emphasized that NATO's expansion should not threaten Soviet security interests (NATO Expansion: What Gorbachev Heard).

However, these assurances were informal and not codified in any formal treaty or agreement. The formal treaty regarding Germany's unification did not include any stipulations about NATO's future expansion (There was no promise not to enlarge NATO). Furthermore, Robert Zoellick, a participant in the negotiations, has stated that Gorbachev himself acknowledged there was no promise made regarding NATO enlargement (There was no promise not to enlarge NATO).

The broader context indicates that while there were discussions and assurances made to Gorbachev, they did not constitute a legally binding agreement. NATO's official stance has been that it respects the right of nations to choose their own alliances, which has been a point of contention in Russian narratives (NATO - De-bunking Russian disinformation on NATO).

Analysis

The evidence surrounding the claim reveals a complex interplay of diplomatic assurances and interpretations. On one hand, the declassified documents and statements from Western leaders suggest that there was a clear understanding that NATO's expansion would not occur at the expense of Soviet security interests. This is supported by multiple high-level discussions where assurances were made (NATO Expansion: What Gorbachev Heard).

On the other hand, the lack of a formal agreement means that these assurances were more about political goodwill than legal commitments. As noted by Zoellick, Gorbachev did not perceive these discussions as binding promises, and the absence of written agreements further complicates the narrative (There was no promise not to enlarge NATO).

Moreover, various analyses have pointed out that NATO's expansion was driven by the desire of Eastern European countries to join the alliance for their own security, a choice that NATO respects (NATO - De-bunking Russian disinformation on NATO). This perspective is crucial in understanding the motivations behind NATO's actions post-Cold War, which were framed as responses to the aspirations of former Soviet states rather than violations of any agreements.

In summary, while there were assurances made to Gorbachev regarding NATO's expansion, the lack of formal agreements and the context of those discussions suggest that the claim of a binding agreement is misleading.

Conclusion

The claim that NATO made a formal agreement with Russia not to move further east is Partially True. While there were indeed assurances made by Western leaders to Gorbachev regarding NATO's expansion, these were not formalized in any treaty or binding agreement. The discussions reflected a political context rather than a legal commitment, and the subsequent actions of NATO were influenced by the desires of Eastern European nations to join the alliance. Thus, the narrative surrounding this claim is nuanced and requires careful consideration of the historical context and the nature of diplomatic communications.

Sources

1. NATO Expansion: What Gorbachev Heard
2. There was no promise not to enlarge NATO
3. PDF against alliance expanding eastward Fact-checking claims that NATO, US ...
4. Controversy regarding NATO's eastward expansion - Wikipedia
5. Did NATO 'betray' Russia by expanding to the East? - France 24
6. NATO - Homepage
7. Op-Ed: Russia's got a point: The U.S. broke a NATO promise
8. NATO - De-bunking Russian disinformation on NATO