Changes

==Russia reaction==

==Russia reaction==

 

NATO expansion since the [[Clinton]] era represents a betrayal of the international agreements that ended the Cold War, caused the [[Fall of the Wall]], and collapse of Soviet communism.  Western [[oligarch]]s and [[neo-fascist]] [[globalism|global]] interests have profited immeasurably  from ending the Cold War and betraying security agreements made with the Russian Federation in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

NATO expansion since the [[Clinton]] era represents a betrayal of the international agreements that ended the Cold War, caused the [[Fall of the Wall]], and collapse of Soviet communism.  Western [[oligarch]]s and [[neo-fascist]] [[globalism|global]] interests have profited immeasurably  from ending the Cold War and betraying security agreements made with the Russian Federation in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

President [[George H.W. Bush]] had assured Gorbachev during the Malta summit in December 1989 that the U.S. would not take advantage (‘I have not jumped up and down on the [[Berlin Wall]]”) of the revolutions in Eastern Europe to harm Soviet interests.’”<ref>https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefing-book/russia-programs/2017-12-12/nato-expansion-what-gorbachev-heard-western-leaders-early</ref>}}

President [[George H.W. Bush]] had assured Gorbachev during the Malta summit in December 1989 that the U.S. would not take advantage (‘I have not jumped up and down on the [[Berlin Wall]]”) of the revolutions in Eastern Europe to harm Soviet interests.’”<ref>https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefing-book/russia-programs/2017-12-12/nato-expansion-what-gorbachev-heard-western-leaders-early</ref>}}

[[File:Sarah Ashton-Cirillo.PNG|left|300px|thumb|[[Sarah Ashton-Cirillo]]<ref>[https://rumble.com/v3hqmhg-american-transgender-sarah-ashton-cirillo-is-the-official-speaker-for-the-u.html American transgender Sarah Ashton Cirillo is the official speaker for the Ukraine military]</ref>]]

[[File:Gay marriage in Europe.PNG|left|300px|thumb|Opposition to [[gay marriage]] in [[Europe]].]]

The minutes of a March 6, 1991 meeting in [[Bonn]], [[West Germany]] between political directors of the foreign ministries of the US, UK, France, and Germany contain multiple references to “2+4” talks on German unification in which Western officials made it “clear” to the Soviet Union that NATO would not push into territory east of Germany. “We made it clear to the Soviet Union – in the 2+4 talks, as well as in other negotiations – that we do not intend to benefit from the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Eastern Europe,” the document in British foreign ministry archives quotes US Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Canada Raymond Seitz.  “NATO should not expand to the east, either officially or unofficially,” Seitz added.  A British representative also mentions the existence of a “general agreement” that membership of NATO for [[eastern Europe]]an countries is “unacceptable.”<ref>https://www.spiegel.de/ausland/nato-osterweiterung-aktenfund-stuetzt-russische-version-a-1613d467-bd72-4f02-8e16-2cd6d3285295</ref>

The minutes of a March 6, 1991 meeting in [[Bonn]], [[West Germany]] between political directors of the foreign ministries of the US, UK, France, and Germany contain multiple references to “2+4” talks on German unification in which Western officials made it “clear” to the Soviet Union that NATO would not push into territory east of Germany. “We made it clear to the Soviet Union – in the 2+4 talks, as well as in other negotiations – that we do not intend to benefit from the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Eastern Europe,” the document in British foreign ministry archives quotes US Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Canada Raymond Seitz.  “NATO should not expand to the east, either officially or unofficially,” Seitz added.  A British representative also mentions the existence of a “general agreement” that membership of NATO for [[eastern Europe]]an countries is “unacceptable.”<ref>https://www.spiegel.de/ausland/nato-osterweiterung-aktenfund-stuetzt-russische-version-a-1613d467-bd72-4f02-8e16-2cd6d3285295</ref>

When we say that we object to NATO's expansion to the East, we are not expressing any special ambitions of our own, ambitions in respect of some regions of the world. ... By the way, we have never declared any part of the world a zone of our national interests. Personally, I prefer to speak about strategic partnership. The zone of strategic interests of any particular region means first of all the interests of the people who live in that region. ...}}

When we say that we object to NATO's expansion to the East, we are not expressing any special ambitions of our own, ambitions in respect of some regions of the world. ... By the way, we have never declared any part of the world a zone of our national interests. Personally, I prefer to speak about strategic partnership. The zone of strategic interests of any particular region means first of all the interests of the people who live in that region. ...}}

In 2004 the Baltic states - [[Latvia]], [[Lithuania]], and [[Estonia]] joined NATO, setting up another common border between the Russian Federation and a NATO state.  Three years later, at the Munich Security Conference, Putin declared, “We have the right to ask: against whom is this [NATO] expansion intended? And what happened to the assurances our western partners made after the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact? Where are those declarations today? No one even remembers them.”

 

In 2004 the Baltic states - [[Latvia]], [[Lithuania]], and [[Estonia]] joined NATO, setting up another common border between the Russian Federation and a NATO state.  Three years later, at the February [[Putin 2007 Munich Security Council speech|2007 Munich Security Conference President Putin]] said,

at the February [[Putin 2007 Munich Security Council speech|2007 Munich Security Conference President Putin]] said,

{{quotebox-float|"I think it is obvious that NATO expansion does not have any relation with the modernization of the alliance itself or with ensuring security in Europe. On the contrary, it represents a serious provocation that reduces the level of mutual trust. And we have the right to ask: Against whom is this expansion intended? And what happened to the assurances our western partners made after the dissolution of the [[Warsaw Pact]]? No one even remembers them."<ref>https://aldeilis.net/english/putins-historical-speech-munich-conference-security-policy-2007/</ref> <ref>https://scheerpost.com/2023/02/19/patrick-lawrence-munich-as-propaganda-fest</ref>}}

{{quotebox-float|"I think it is obvious that NATO expansion does not have any relation with the modernization of the alliance itself or with ensuring security in Europe. On the contrary, it represents a serious provocation that reduces the level of mutual trust. And we have the right to ask: Against whom is this expansion intended? And what happened to the assurances our western partners made after the dissolution of the [[Warsaw Pact]]? No one even remembers them."<ref>https://aldeilis.net/english/putins-historical-speech-munich-conference-security-policy-2007/</ref> <ref>https://scheerpost.com/2023/02/19/patrick-lawrence-munich-as-propaganda-fest</ref>}}

In 2008 NATO said Ukraine and Georgia would become members.  Four other [[Eastern Europe]]an states joined NATO in 2009.

In 2008 NATO said Ukraine and Georgia would become members.  Four other [[Eastern Europe]]an states joined NATO in 2009.