NEWSWATCH: “Michael McFaul: Russians were never promised NATO non-expansion to Eastern Europe” – Postimees Estonia News
We have heard from Russian politics different accusations incl. that West has broken it’s promise that NATO would not expand into the East. How would you comment: has there ever been a promise not to expand NATO or is it just a myth?
This assertion is a complete myth. I worked closely with Russian officials in negotiating many agreements, including the New START Treaty. Russian officials want to write everything down, agree on everything on paper. Its a diplomatic traditional I respect, even if it was sometimes frustrating to engage with during these negotiations. So why is there no written document — signed by officials — if such a promise? Why is there no treaty? NATO, by the way, is a multilateral organization, so such a document would have to be agreed to by all NATO allies, not just the United States. I have not seen such a document.