• @jazzfes
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    52 years ago

    Sure I can.

    We can cite John Maersheimer from 2014

    Here is the outline link to the same article.

    More recently the german Spiegel published documents demonstrating the promises. Here is an english language Russia Today link, referencing the original german article (you can find the paywalled link there).

    But let’s be frank, the idea that a NATO expansion to the east will set off a conflict with Russia is just obvious. There were high ranking officials confirming that over the last thirty years (I believe even Genscher).

    The argument that states should be able to choose their allies is a little bit absurd since we are not talking about a club that you can vote yourself in if you wish to do so. The NATO has to extend an offer for your country to be able to join it.

    Russia and before that the Soviet Union expressed their issue with that and asked NATO not to put troops against their borders. Yet, NATO did.

    The sources I link to above are from the most realist IR academic and from a totally mainstream german news outlet.

      • @jazzfes
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        edit-2
        2 years ago

        Please check the Spiegel article. Also, again, isn’t it common sense that if you put troops against a country’s border, that country feels threatened?

        edited “border”

          • @jazzfes
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            52 years ago

            There are many report stating that these promises were made.

            Whether Russia made a tactical mistake in codifying these promises… is it relevant? There is clear evidence that NATO promised not to expand. And again, it seems obvious that a NATO expansion would set up a conflict with Russia. So why would you do it?

            Here is another good german language article about the situation

              • @guojing
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                22 years ago

                United States breakes written treaties all the time when it suites them (like the JCPOA with Iran), so it wouldnt make any real difference.