DISINFO: NATO expansion is to blame for hostilities in Ukraine
SUMMARY
The main reason for the outbreak of hostilities in Eastern Europe on February 24, 2022 was NATO's expansion efforts. At that time, there were discussions about Kyiv joining the Alliance. Russia did not tolerate this process and intervened in Ukraine. Thus, Ukraine became a "swamp" and Russia was also dragged into it.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about NATO enlargement, which aims to justify Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine as an act of self defence.
Russia and President Putin are responsible for the war in Ukraine. It was Putin’s personal decision to invade Ukraine and start the largest military conflict in Europe since WWII. See our 6-volume series of debunks of Putin 'What He Said and What it Really Means – Vol. 6.
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.
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. See more disinformation about NATO and Ukraine here.
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."
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