| | After the Kosovo bombing in 1998, the use of NATO to wage aggressive war called the organizations reason for existence into question again. Some called for the abolishment of the organization, stating that it had lost it original purpose. | | After the Kosovo bombing in 1998, the use of NATO to wage aggressive war called the organizations reason for existence into question again. Some called for the abolishment of the organization, stating that it had lost it original purpose. |
| | With the collapse of the [[Warsaw Pact]] despite assurances to the [[Russian Federation]] that it would not do so, NATO expanded to [[Central Europe]]an countries, these included [[Estonia]], [[Latvia]], [[Lithuania]], [[Slovakia]], [[Slovenia]], [[Bulgaria]] and Romania, resulting in an organization of 26 nations. This spark of expansion was seen as an offensive move by [[Russia]] and caused a rift in the NATO, Russia relations. The Russian lower house released to the press a statement, "At present we are debating the draft statement of the State Duma which we are planning to adopt in connection with NATO's expansion in Europe. Our opinion is equivocal that this act is erroneous. I think that this is a big historical mistake on the part of western states." | | With the collapse of the [[Warsaw Pact]] despite assurances to the [[Russian Federation]] that it would not do so, NATO expanded to [[Central Europe]]an countries, these included [[Estonia]], [[Latvia]], [[Lithuania]], [[Slovakia]], [[Slovenia]], [[Bulgaria]] and Romania, resulting in an organization of 26 nations. This spark of expansion was seen as an offensive move by [[Russia]] and caused a rift in the NATO, Russia relations. The Russian lower house released to the press a statement, "At present we are debating the draft statement of the State Duma which we are planning to adopt in connection with NATO's expansion in Europe. Our opinion is equivocal that this act is erroneous. I think that this is a big historical mistake on the part of western states." |
| | To assent to the reunification of Germany, Soviet leader [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] ultimately agreed to a proposal from then U.S. Secretary of State [[James Baker (DOS)]] that a reunited Germany would be part of NATO but the military alliance would not move “one inch” to the east, that is, absorb any of the former [[Warsaw Pact]] nations into NATO. | | To assent to the reunification of Germany, Soviet leader [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] ultimately agreed to a proposal from then U.S. Secretary of State [[James Baker (DOS)]] that a reunited Germany would be part of NATO but the military alliance would not move “one inch” to the east, that is, absorb any of the former [[Warsaw Pact]] nations into NATO. |