A List of Russian Provocations Against Its Neighbors

[reorg]

11. Did the West break its promise to Moscow?

After speaking with many of those involved and examining previously classified British and German documents in detail, SPIEGEL has concluded that there was no doubt that the West did everything it could to give the Soviets the impression that NATO membership was out of the question for countries like Poland, Hungary or Czechoslovakia.

On Feb. 10, 1990, between 4 and 6:30 p.m., Genscher spoke with Shevardnadze. According to the German record of the conversation, which was only recently declassified, Genscher said: "We are aware that NATO membership for a unified Germany raises complicated questions. For us, however, one thing is certain: NATO will not expand to the east." And because the conversation revolved mainly around East Germany, Genscher added explicitly: "As far as the non-expansion of NATO is concerned, this also applies in general."

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/nato-s-eastward-expansion-did-the-west-break-its-promise-to-moscow-a-663315.html

Genscher was interviewed last week and it was widely reported (in Germany, the English language press are obviously not interested) that he thinks Putin has a point and sanctions should be ended:

"Without Russia there is no stability in Europe. And therefore it is worthwhile to take their views seriously. Putin's outrage over the stationing of NATO troups and weapon systems at Russia's western border is justified."

Ohne Russland gebe es keine Stabilität in Europa. "Dann lohnt es sich natürlich, auch das ernst zu nehmen, was die Repräsentanten an Auffassung haben", sagte Genscher. Die Empörung Putins über die Stationierungen von Nato-Truppen und Waffensystemen an der russischen Westgrenze sei berechtigt.

http://www.zeit.de/politik/2014-09/hand-dietrich-genscher-putin-russland-ukraine

"Putin is a man with a clear goal in mind: to create a position that has no longer anything to do with Jelzin's position of weakness. There is no stability in Europe without Russia - and especially not against Russia."

Putin ist ein Mann, der eine klare Zielsetzung hat, eine Position zu schaffen, die nichts mehr zu tun hat mit der Schwächeposition Jelzins", sagte er. "Es gibt in Europa keine Stabilität ohne Russland - und erst recht nicht gegen Russland."

http://www.huffingtonpost.de/2014/09/18/genscher-putin-russland_n_5841078.html