Skip to main content

US 'violating' assurance to Gorbachev: NATO not to expand jurisdiction to eastern Europe

By Bharat Dogra* 

At a time when the Russian invasion of Ukraine has faced a lot of well-justified criticism, a different yet related question also needs to be raised. Would Ukraine have become such a serious crisis point if the USA had sincerely adopted a policy of peace towards Russia during the last 35 years or so?
Revisit Russia of three decades back. There was confusion at the rapid break-up, a lot of uncertainty. A sincere hand of friendship by the superpower would have been enough for Russia to accept a less than equal position in the arrangement, as long as it was treated honorably. Unfortunately, the USA and allies adopted a policy of hostility, which came to the fore at the time of decisions relating to the eastward expansion of NATO.
An important understanding reached between Gorbachev and Bush in 1989 was that the USA will not expand NATO membership eastwards close to Russian borders. Jack F Matlock, then US ambassador to the Soviet Union and a leading expert on Soviet policy for years, had a ringside view of crucial talks. He recalled recently (February, 15 2022, "Responsible Statecraft"), Gorbachev was assured, though not in a formal treaty, that if a unified Germany was allowed to remain in NATO, there would be no movement of NATO’s jurisdiction to the east, not one inch.”
However the USA started drifting away -- fast -- from this assurance. 1997 was a landmark year for this going back on an important assurance. At this critical juncture, on June 26 1997 to be precise, as many as 50 prominent foreign policy experts, including former senators, retired military officers, diplomats and academicians sent an open letter to President Clinton, outlining their opposition to NATO expansion (see full statement at the Arms Control Association, Opposition to NATO Expansion).
They wrote, “We, the undersigned, believe that the current US led effort to expand NATO, … is a policy error of historic proportions. In Russia NATO expansion, which continues to be opposed across the entire political spectrum, will strengthen the non-democratic opposition, undercut those who favor reform and cooperation with the West, bring the Russians to question the entire post- cold war settlement, and galvanize resistance in the Duma to the START II and III treaties.”
This letter of 50 experts concluded: “We strongly urge that the NATO expansion process be suspended while alternative actions are explored.” The alternatives suggested by these experts included “supporting a NATO-Russia relationship.”
Around the same time in 1997 Ambassador Matlock was asked to testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He stated that NATO expansion would be the most strategic blunder since the end of the Cold War.
Ignoring such sane advice from many senior diplomats and foreign policy experts, the US government went ahead with several waves of adding new NATO members -- eastward ho! At the same time, the USA was also withdrawing from important arms control treaties. During the nineties western interests were associated with pushing economic policies of the Yeltsin years which impoverished a large number of Russians, leading to a deeply worrying, steep fall of life expectancy.
The expectations of many Russians for economic help and accommodation of essential security concerns were neglected and instead they saw repeated violation of their economic and security interests. In addition sanctions were also imposed. In 2014 the USA intervened decisively in Ukraine, playing an important role in installing an anti-Russian regime.
In 2019 the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace published a study titled ‘30 Years of US Policy Toward Russia—Can the Vicious Circle be Broken’ which expressed regret at the many problems created by hostile US policy. 
In 1997 Ambassador Matlock stated that NATO expansion would be the most strategic blunder since the end of the Cold War
To break the impasse, the study concluded, the USA will have to, for its part, make several key adjustments to its Russia policy, including -- halting NATO expansion eastward, clarifying to Ukraine and Georgia that they should not base their foreign policy on the assumption that they will be joining NATO (while establishing robust security cooperation in other ways), reviewing and restraining sanctions policy towards Russia and leaving Russia’s internal affairs to itself (not interfering in them).
These and other suggestions have been ignored by US policy makers who continued to indulge in provocations. Just before war broke out, Matlock posed a question (see “Responsible Statecraft",  February 15, 2022: "I was there—NATO and the origins of the Ukraine Crisis”): Was the crisis avoidable? His answer was –Yes.
He explained, “Since Putin’s major demand is an assurance that NATO will take no further members, and specifically not Ukraine or Georgia, obviously there could have been no basis for the present crisis if there had been no expansion of the alliance following the end of the Cold War, or if the expansion had occurred in harmony with building a security structure in Europe that included Russia.”
So while the invasion of Ukraine deserves the criticism it is getting, the genuine concerns of Russia also deserve attention. In the longer-term and a wider context, USA led west and the already troubled world will gain nothing and lose a lot from a policy of encircling and threatening a big nuclear weapon power like Russia. 
A century earlier Germany in difficult times, trying to find a rightful place of honor, was pushed and shoved too much, and the rest is very unfortunate history. The situation now in a world of weapons of mass destruction is of course much more risky.
Surely USA and western decision makers have the wisdom to see the bigger picture. The talk in the street is of the USA arms companies getting more business, Germany and Japan being pushed towards acquiring more destructive weapons in cooperation with the USA, fuel market of Europe getting more tied to USA interests despite clear advantages of getting better and cheaper supplies much nearer from Russia. Surely western and US policy makers should be able to rise above such narrow concerns.
Clearly a different path exists, a path based on peace and sincerity, and by making this the basis of its Russia policy the USA can contribute much more to its self-interests and even more to world peace. This can also contribute very quickly to resolving the ongoing crisis, and in the longer-term to creating a safer world for this and future generations.
---
*Honorary convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include “Planet in Peril” and “Protecting Earth for Children”

Comments

TRENDING

Savarkar 'criminally betrayed' Netaji and his INA by siding with the British rulers

By Shamsul Islam* RSS-BJP rulers of India have been trying to show off as great fans of Netaji. But Indians must know what role ideological parents of today's RSS/BJP played against Netaji and Indian National Army (INA). The Hindu Mahasabha and RSS which always had prominent lawyers on their rolls made no attempt to defend the INA accused at Red Fort trials.

Delhi HC rules in favour of retired Air Force officer 'overcharged' for Covid treatment

By Rosamma Thomas*  In a decision of May 22, 2023, the Delhi High Court ruled in favour of petitioner Group Captain Suresh Khanna who was under treatment at CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, between April 28 and May 5, 2021, for a period of eight days, for Covid-19 pneumonia. The petitioner had to pay Rs 3,55,286 as treatment costs, but the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) only reimbursed him for Rs 1,83,748, on the basis of government-approved rates. 

'Enough evidence' in Indian tradition to support legal basis for same-sex marriage

By Iyce Malhotra, Joseph Mathai, Sandeep Chachra*  The ongoing hearing in the Supreme Court on same-sex marriage provides space for much-needed conversations on issues that have hitherto remained “invisible” or engaged with patriarchal locker room humour. We must recognize that people with diverse sexualities and complex gender identities have faced discrimination, stigma and decades of oppression. Their issues have mainly remained buried in dominant social discourse, and many view them with deep insecurities.

Religious divide 'kept alive' with low intensity communalism in Gujarat's cultural capital

By Rajiv Shah  A fact-finding report, prepared by the Mumbai-based non-profit, Centre for Study of Society and Secularism (CSSS), has cited the Vadodara Ram Navami violence of March 30 as yet another example of how, after the BJP consolidating its hold on political power in Gujarat post-2002 riots and at the Centre in 2014, the nature of communal riots has changed, underlining, as opposed to high-intensity violence earlier, now riots have become “more sub-radar and at a smaller scale, more localized”.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Our Representative Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Caste, impact on Ayodhya area 'halting' BJP rulers to act against Brij Bhushan Singh

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  Finally, the #WrestlersProtest has got international attention. The United World Wrestling (UWW),  condemning the treatment and detention of wrestlers and expressing its disappointment over the lack of results of the investigations against Brij Bhushan Singh, accused of sexually harassing women wrestlers, has urged the "relevant authorities to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation."

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Unlike other revolutionaries, Hindutva icon wrote 5 mercy petitions to British masters

By Shamsul Islam*  The Hindutva icon VD Savarkar of the RSS-BJP rulers of India submitted not one, two,or three but five mercy petitions to the British masters! Savarkarites argue: “There are no evidences to prove that Savarkar collaborated with the British for his release from jail. In fact, his appeal for release was a ruse. He was well aware of the political developments outside and wanted to be part of it. So he kept requesting for his release. But the British authorities did not trust him a bit” (YD Phadke, ‘A complex Hero’, "The Indian Expres"s, August 31, 2004)

76% Odisha govt school infrastructure in dilapidated state, 'undermine' RTE norms

By Our Representative  As many as 75.86% (5,421) elementary schools in Odisha do not possess a playground, depriving students of physical activity opportunities. Also, 75.68% (5,408) of schools require minor or major repairing, undermining the norms and standards stipulated in the Right to Education (RTE) Act.

Can India's water management infrastructure address gender vulnerability issues?

By Monami Bhattacharya, Megha Gupta, Mansee Bal Bhargava*  The climatic pattern of the earth is evolving and changing for a very long time, but in the recent times spanning this century, the change has been drastic which has raised serious concerns to all. Climate criss is also clearly manifested as gender crisis where women are more vulnerable besides being more voiceless to raise the issue. India is marked as a highly climate-vulnerable nation. In addition, the gender disparity in the patriarchal society seems deeply and naturally ingrained among all.