DISINFO: NATO has been carrying out geopolitical and military expansion in Europe for 30 years
SUMMARY
For three decades now, the North Atlantic Alliance has been carrying out geopolitical and military expansion in Europe, trying to gain a foothold in Transcaucasia and Central Asia, creating a direct threat to the security of [Russia].
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about an allegedly aggressive NATO, and NATO enlargement.
NATO is a defensive alliance with primary aims to maintain peace and safeguard the independence, security and territorial integrity of its members. NATO constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its member states agree to mutual defence in response to an attack by any external party. NATO's official policy is that "the Alliance does not seek confrontation and poses no threat to Russia."
Furthermore, the claim about NATO expansion misrepresents the process of NATO enlargement. NATO does not expand but considers the applications of candidate countries that want to join, exercising their free will to decide alliance affiliation. NATO enlargement is not directed against Russia.
Central and Eastern European countries began seeking NATO membership in the early 1990s. NATO actively sought to create a cooperative environment that was conducive to enlargement while simultaneously building special relations with Russia.
NATO's "open door policy" is based upon Article 10 of the Washington Treaty, which states that membership is open to any "European State in a position to further the principles of this Treaty and to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area."
The allegation that NATO is trying to gain a foothold in Transcaucasia is baseless. For a further debunk, read here.
Even before Russia began its aggressive actions against Ukraine, Russian officials accused NATO of a series of threats and hostile actions.
The pro-Kremlin disinformation myth of NATO “encircling Russia” has been used as one of the pretexts for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Read the debunking of the top seven Russian Myths about NATO here.
Read similar disinformation cases: NATO broke its promise not to expand eastward; NATO is an aggressive, Russophobic and absolutely destabilising structure; NATO is the US tool for hegemony in the new world order; NATO’s main goal has always been the destruction of Russia; NATO wages a proxy war against Russia; NATO defence efforts are irresponsible and can lead to real warfare; NATO is waging hybrid war in Ukraine against Russia to the last Ukrainian; NATO has returned to Cold War relationship with Russia.