Ukrainian Flag with NATO Flag The Myth of US Promise to Russia: Refuting the Contention that NATO Would Not Expand ‘One Inch’ The assertion that the United States promised Russia that NATO would not
The Myth of US Promise to Russia: Refuting the Contention that NATO Would Not Expand ‘One Inch’
The assertion that the United States promised Russia that NATO would not expand “one inch” has been a subject of much debate and controversy. The claim, which originated from a supposed informal assurance given by former Secretary of State James Baker to Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze in 1990, has been used by some as evidence of American duplicity in the post-Cold War era. However, a closer examination of the historical record reveals that the assertion is not only inaccurate but also lacks any official status.
First and foremost, it is essential to note that James Baker’s supposed remark was never an official policy of the United States government. It was a casual comment made in the context of the discussions around the reunification of Germany, and it referred only to the possibility of NATO expanding into East Germany after the reunification. Baker himself has stated that he never made any promises regarding the broader issue of NATO expansion beyond East Germany.
Furthermore, the claim that the United States promised Russia that NATO would not add members has been consistently refuted by other high-ranking American officials, including former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. In a speech delivered in 1997, President Clinton stated unequivocally that “we did not expand NATO to get even with Russia, we did it to advance the cause of peace and security in Europe.” Similarly, in her memoirs, Hillary Clinton emphasized that the issue of NATO expansion was never discussed during her husband’s presidency in the context of any promise made to Russia.
Moreover, the claim that the United States promised Russia that NATO would not expand one inch is also inconsistent with the official statements made by NATO itself. In 1999, the Alliance released a statement that affirmed its commitment to “the principle that countries which aspire to NATO membership should be free to pursue their aspirations without external interference.” This position was reiterated in subsequent NATO summits and communiques, including the 2008 Bucharest Summit, where the Alliance stated that “NATO welcomes the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of countries that seek to join the Alliance.”
The assertion that the United States promised Russia that NATO would not expand one inch is an inaccurate and misleading claim that lacks any official status. James Baker’s supposed remark was a casual comment made in a specific context and did not bind the United States to any policy. Other high-ranking American officials have consistently refuted the claim, and NATO itself has affirmed its commitment to the principle of free choice for countries seeking membership. It is essential to base discussions and debates on facts and official policies, rather than on unfounded assertions and speculations.
Sources:
Clinton, B. (1997). Speech at the Warsaw University. Retrieved from https://clintonwhitehouse4.archives.gov/WH/New/Europe-Remarks/1997-07-11.html
Clinton, H. (2014). Hard Choices. Simon & Schuster.
NATO (1999). Alliance Expansion: Statement by the North Atlantic Council. Retrieved from https://www.nato.int/docu/pr/1999/p99-065e.htm
NATO (2008). Bucharest Summit Declaration. Retrieved from https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/official_texts_8443.htm
Sarotte, M. E. Not One Inch: America, Russia, and the Making of Post–Cold War Stalemate. Yale University Press, 2021.