According to Putin, NATO is illegally expanding eastward. The former Russian Foreign Minister disagrees. What promise in 1990?
MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin has not been fond of reminding us that NATO has broken its promise not to expand eastward, and not just since the beginning of the Ukrainian war. Now Andrei Kozyrev, a former Russian foreign minister, strongly opposes this. According to him, the promise of NATO expansion never existed. Kozyrev told the Ukrainian newspaper that it was “not true” that there were confirmations Kyiv Post.
Kozyrev told the newspaper that despite extensive research conducted by the Russian Foreign Ministry during his tenure as minister, his team was unable to find any evidence that Washington had made such a promise to Mikhail Gorbachev. He added: “When I was Minister of Foreign Affairs, we tried to find a trace of this in the archives and we failed. Gorbachev later denied receiving any kind of guarantee. The former foreign minister continued: “As far as I know, this is complete nonsense.” A statement that completely contradicts Putin.
“Complexities and stereotypes about the Russian threat” – Putin claims NATO is wrong
Shortly before the Russian attack on Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Putin clarified his position on NATO’s eastern expansion in a speech. He claimed that the United States had verbally confirmed in 1990 that German reunification would not happen To expand NATO to the east would lead. In addition, the United States said at the time that Central and Eastern European countries joining NATO would improve relations. But according to Putin, the opposite happened. According to the Russian president, the new member states brought their “complex and stereotypes about the Russian threat” to the transatlantic alliance – and insisted on expanding its defense potential.
Andrei Kozyrev had a diplomatic career, first in the Soviet Union and then in Russia, before finally being appointed Foreign Minister under Boris Yeltsin; A position he held between 1992 and 1996. Today he lives outside Russia.
For Putin, attacking Ukraine was a logical step. After all, Ukraine’s potential NATO membership was a „direct threat to Russia’s security” — so action had to be taken, the Russian president said on the eve of the invasion. This was not the first time such an allegation had been made. At the Munich Security Conference in 2007, Putin claimed that the West was breaking its promise not to expand NATO eastward. Putin’s predecessors in power also liked to complain about this broken promise – is this true?
NATO is allowed to expand eastward, and Russia has ratified a treaty to that effect
According to historian Marie-Elise Sarot, “the question of the history of NATO expansion must be separated from the question of Ukraine” in any case, as is the case with the Austrian case. shortening male. However, it is difficult to determine exactly what happened at that time. The truth lies somewhere on the spectrum between the feeling of betrayal by the Soviet Union and the US claim that the issue never came up at the time. What is certain is that the so-called two-plus-four contract exists in a legally binding form. This shows that NATO is allowed to expand “beyond the Cold War front line” to the east.
What is the so-called contract of two plus four?
The Two Plus Four Treaty, officially known as the „Treaty of the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany”, was signed in Moscow on 12 September 1990. It was a decisive step towards German reunification and was implemented by the two German states, the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic ( East Germany), as well as the four occupying powers of World War II – the United States, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and France – were negotiated and signed.
German sovereignty: The treaty ended Allied rights in Germany and established the full sovereignty of a unified Germany. Border regulations: Germany confirmed its existing borders, particularly the Oder-Neisse border with Poland, and abandoned its territorial claims. Withdrawal of forces: Soviet forces were to be withdrawn from the territory of the former German Democratic Republic by 1994, while Allied forces could remain in West Germany. Military restrictions: Germany committed not to possess or produce NBC weapons (nuclear, biological and chemical weapons) and to limit the size of its armed forces to 370,000 soldiers. NATO membership: Germany was allowed to remain a member of NATO, but it was agreed that no foreign NATO forces or nuclear weapons would be stationed on the territory of the former German Democratic Republic. Final peace settlement: The treaty represented the final settlement with regard to Germany and replaced the formal peace treaty lost after World War II.
Moscow “not only signed this treaty, not only ratified it, but also received the subsidies associated with it”; The historian said. According to the sources, then US Secretary of State James Baker said to Gorbachev during the negotiations: “What about releasing half of the German Democratic Republic?” We would like to tell you that NATO is expanding “not one inch” into Eastern Europe.” However, this was a purely mental game. However, George H.W. Bush was unwilling to make such a commitment. That is why he told his Secretary of State that he “bowed „Too much outside the window.”
NATO committed itself voluntarily – was Gorbachev deliberately left in the wrong belief?
It is true that there is something called the NATO-Russia Constitutive Act of 1997. This stipulates that neither nuclear weapons nor large contingents of NATO forces will be stationed in the new NATO member states in Eastern Europe. The two sides also committed to respecting the sovereignty of all countries. However, according to Sarot, this basic law “is not a contract, that is, not legally binding.”
As for journalist Andreas Zummach, who worked as a correspondent for the United Nations between 1988 and 2020, he has a different vision of the events. Taz He was. In a blog post on the news Additional service He refers to secret documents from the US National Security Archives. According to these documents, Gorbachev was deliberately „led” to „believe” that Baker’s assertions were truthful. At the same time, Western government circles were already thinking about expanding NATO to the east. However, according to Szomach, it was undoubtedly a “literal mistake” that Gorbachev “did not get the promises he made in February 1990 in writing.” (Tn)
During a meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump verbally attacked his political rival Kamala Harris. „She’s really destructive,” Trump said at his Florida home, with Netanyahu in attendance. „I think her comments were disrespectful. She wasn’t very nice about Israel.”
Earlier, after meeting with Netanyahu, Vice President Harris said: “We cannot turn a blind eye to these tragedies. We cannot allow ourselves to be callous in the face of suffering, and I will not remain silent.”
Trump’s first meeting with Netanyahu in more than three years
trump card He said, referring to Harris, that he did not know “how a Jewish person could vote for her, but that is up to each individual.” He found their behavior “definitely disrespectful to Israel.”
The Republican also assured the Israeli prime minister of his full solidarity, the campaign team said. “If we don’t win, there will be major wars in the Middle East and maybe World War III,” Trump said. It was the first time Netanyahu and Trump had met in person since he left the White House more than three years ago.
Netanyahu praises Trump’s policy toward Israel
Netanyahu praised Trump’s qualities in the meeting Israel She added that during his term from 2017 to 2021, Netanyahu praised Trump’s mediation in the so-called Abraham Accords, the transfer of the US embassy to Jerusalem, the recognition of sovereignty over the Golan Heights, the killing of Iranian General Soleimani, and the termination of the nuclear agreement with Israel. Iran and Trump’s war against anti-Semitism.
Netanyahu is currently on a multi-day visit to the United States. On Wednesday, he defended Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip in a speech to the US Congress. He also reportedly discussed artificial intelligence and its impact on the economy with tech billionaire Elon Musk on the sidelines of the speech. He was welcomed on Thursday by US President Biden and Kamala Harris They were welcomed to the White House for separate talks.
hoping to reach a hostage deal
Asked by a reporter whether his visit to the United States showed progress toward a hostage deal, Netanyahu replied: „I hope so. But I think time will tell. We are certainly keen to reach (an agreement). We are working on it.”
Netanyahu added that Israel would send a team of negotiators to Rome, likely early next week. Regarding the status of negotiations over the release of the hostages still held by Hamas, he said that, in his view, there had been some movement in the talks “because of the military pressure we have applied.” “I hope there will be enough movement to complete the deal,” Netanyahu said.
In Israel, the prime minister is increasingly accused of delaying the conflict in order to avoid the collapse of his far-right government coalition, which is expected if the war ends.
During a meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump verbally attacked his political rival Kamala Harris. „She’s really destructive,” Trump said at his Florida home, with Netanyahu in attendance. „I think her comments were disrespectful. She wasn’t very nice about Israel.”
Earlier, after meeting with Netanyahu, Vice President Harris said: “We cannot turn a blind eye to these tragedies. We cannot allow ourselves to be callous in the face of suffering, and I will not remain silent.”
In an interview, Reinhold Messner, 79, settled scores with his sons. Now the son of the mountaineering star is coming forward – and revealing new details.
Updated as of July 25, 2024 at 2:45 PM: Reinhold Messner caused a stir in an interview last weekend. The mountaineering legend described, among other things, the early inheritance of his sons as “one of my biggest mistakes”. The 79-year-old revealed that “the question of who got more was the main focus”. But now son Simon responds: “It’s unfortunate and sad.” Bavaria Radio His father’s accusations.
He himself greatly values the inheritance he received from his father: two mountain farms in Vinschgau in South Tyrol, and he always passed this on to his father. „That’s why I fundamentally don’t understand this accusation,” says Simon Messner. He sees no similarity between the inheritance and the break in the family, which happened gradually and had other causes, says Simon Messner. Father Reinhold did not want to comment further on this topic.
After inheritance dispute: Mountaineering legend Reinhold Messner 'on the brink’
First report dated July 21, 2024: Bolzano – Mountaineering legend Reinhold Messner turns 80 in September. But things don’t always go well for Messner, especially in his old age – he recently drew attention to himself with a thoughtful Instagram post in which he wrote: “I’m coming to the end.” Now the 79-year-old is talking about the circumstances in his family. In an interview with Pharmacy Journal Miser gives insight into his relationship with his children, which was strained by his decision to leave the majority of his assets to them in his will before his death.
Reinhold Messner talks about the biggest mistake of his life – the 79-year-old was 'on the edge of the abyss’
“One of my biggest mistakes was leaving them the majority of my assets in my will before I died,” Meisner says of his children. “They don’t understand that everything was a gift and don’t appreciate my generosity.” This is very disappointing to him, especially compared to his childhood, when there was nothing to bequeath but respect and gratitude.
Meisner explains to Pharmacy Journal “We were a big family, with many brothers and sisters, and we took care of our parents when they were old. For me, it was the opposite. The moment I distributed my material inheritance to my children and my wife, the family collapsed. The question of who got more was at the forefront and I was on the edge of the abyss when I was 75 years old.
Reinhold Messner
September 17, 1944
Brixen (South Tyrol)
Member of the European Parliament (1999-2004)
Climbing Mount Everest Without Oxygen
Asked if he would like to improve the relationship again, Meisner replies, “What parent wouldn’t want to?” He stresses that each person should find their own path rather than following in the footsteps of others: “Everyone should do it. Follow their own path, go their own way.”
’I’m Coming to the End’: Reinhold Messner’s Fans Worried
Recently, Messner caused concern among fans with his Instagram post: “I’ve reached the end, this is reality,” the mountaineering legend used the words to say. Messner’s post caused great concern among some fans.
“I leave with a clear conscience and the knowledge that I was a good person, did my best, was a loving father, a good friend, and a good brother,” Meisner continued in his post. “Now it’s time to live my last dreams and love the people who mean the most to me, but most importantly, gratitude.”
Many years after his climbing career ended, Messner remains one of the world’s most famous mountaineers. He was the first person ever to climb all eight-thousanders. However, in his native South Tyrol, a different Messner has been in the spotlight in recent months: his younger brother Hubert Messner, 71, a former pediatrician who also took part in numerous expeditions, recently became health minister for the northern Italian region.
Recently, there was also a fuss about the Guinness World Records being stripped of Reinhold Messner’s record. The mountaineer spoke of „conspiracy theories”.
’Symbolic’ Consequences – EU Moves Ministerial Meeting From Budapest to Brussels
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Hungary, led by Viktor Orban, has held the presidency of the Council of the European Union since July 1.
Source: German Press Agency/Alexander Zemlianichenko
There is still a lot of anger in Brussels about Viktor Orbán’s “peace mission”: EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell wants to ban Budapest from the next meeting of foreign and defence ministers. But the shot could backfire.
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DrThe European Commission is drawing further conclusions from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s unilateral actions: EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Monday that upcoming meetings of foreign and defence ministers will be held in Brussels – not in the Hungarian capital Budapest.
Borrell said after a ministerial meeting in Brussels that he had taken the decision after a majority of ministers spoke out against Hungary and wanted to impose „symbolic” consequences on the country. According to Borrell, 25 foreign ministers condemned Orban’s behaviour. The Hungarian received support only from Slovakia.
But Borrell has also been heavily criticised for his uncoordinated move to cancel the Budapest meeting. “Spain does not support a boycott in the EU,” Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said. Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel called the idea of a boycott “nonsense”. Bettel said he would rather go to Budapest and express his opinion to the Hungarians. Germany, France and the Netherlands have also voiced opposition to Borrell’s proposal.
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In Brussels, it cannot be ruled out that Borrell’s boycott campaign will ultimately backfire: several ministers are now said to be staying away from the Brussels meeting on 28-30 August in protest.
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Hungary has held the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union since the beginning of July. Immediately after that visit began, Orbán made a surprise visit to Ukraine, Russia and China on a self-proclaimed “peace mission.” He also met with US presidential candidate Donald Trump. His meetings have drawn criticism from EU member states.
The European Commission had already reached its first conclusions a week ago. A Council spokesman had said that no commissioners would be sent to informal meetings of the Hungarian Council Presidency, but only senior officials. The decision was taken by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. There will also be no customary inaugural visit by the Commission to the new Council Presidency.
