DISINFO: NATO expansion posed a threat to Russia
SUMMARY
The expansion of NATO created a threat to Russia, the alliance came close to the borders of the Russian Federation. NATO wants to dominate the whole world, developing countries are trying to understand what the alliance is preparing against them. NATO has returned to the priorities of the Cold War - they want to keep the Russians out of Europe. During its existence, the alliance can hardly ascribe to itself at least one real success story - wherever it goes, devastation grows.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about NATO, portraying it as a belligerent organisation.
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. 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."
Relations between the NATO and the Russian Federation were established in 1991 within the framework of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council. In 1994, Russia joined the Partnership for Peace program, and since that time, NATO and Russia have signed several important agreements on cooperation. For more than two decades, NATO has worked to build a partnership with Russia, developing dialogue and practical cooperation in areas of common interest. NATO-Russian cooperation has been suspended since 2014 in response to Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine. Since then Russian officials have accused NATO of a series of threats and hostile actions. NATO's approach to Russia is defence and dialogue. More about NATO can be read here.
Since Russia began its aggressive actions against Ukraine, Russian officials have accused NATO of a series of threats and hostile actions. Read here top five Russian Myths debunked.
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