Putin may hate it, but NATO may be about to expand again

[Igel]

2. Except that the "promises" weren't.

The idea of no eastward expansion was mooted. It was discussed.

Gorbachev has gone on record saying that it wasn't even agreed upon orally, and not even during official meetings and certainly not agreed to in writing. Of course, he was excoriated for it, immediately the idea of criminally prosecuting him for allowing the breakup of the USSR was discussed and thought a good thing by people close to Putin's administration, and he promptly shut up.

It's hard to predict the past. Gorby did it poorly.

This is a kind of myth, and one that's only really promulgated by those who (a) are Russian or in the Russian government and (b) really don't like NATO or at least want there to be a nice sphere of influence to counteract the baleful and pernicious influence that NATO, the US, and the EU has had ... And who know precious little apart from the official rhetoric extolling the wonders of USSR influence on the rest of the world.