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Here are some fun facts about NATO's promises not to expand to the East.

GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER'S COMMITMENT AGAINST NATO EXPANSION ON RECORD

On February 10th, 1990, between 4 and 6:30 p.m., Genscher (German Foreign minister in 1990) 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 conversion revolved mainly around East Germany, Genscher added explicitly: "As far as the non-expansion of NATO is concerned, this also applies in general." (Der Spiegel, 11-26-09)

US SECRETARY OF STATE STATES IN DISCUSSIONS THAT NATO WOULD NOT EXPAND "ONE INCH TO THE EAST"

There is also the fact that U.S. Secretary of State, James Baker, even spelled out this commitment in a discussion with Gorbachev on February 9th, 1990 in St. Catherine's Hall at the Kremlin. There would be, in Baker's words, "no extension of NATO's jurisdiction for forces of NATO one inch to the east," provided the Soviets agreed to the NATO membership of a unified Germany. (Der Spiegel, 11-26-09)

NATO SECRETARY GENERAL GIVES SOVIET UNION FIRM SECURITY GUARANTEE IN BRUSSELS SPEECH

NATO's then-Secretary General Manfred Woerner stated in a speech delivered in Brussels on May 17, 1990, that "the fact that we are ready not to place a NATO army outside of German territory gives the Soviet Union a firm security guarantee (National Interest, 4-16-07)."

CAN ONE DEPEND ON AMERICAN POLITICIANS?

GORBACHEV SAYS "NO"

Now, 20 years later, Gorbachev is still furious when he is asked to comment about this episode. "One cannot depend on American politicians," he told SPIEGEL.

Gorbachev has also said, "They probably rubbed their hands rejoicing at having played a trick on the Russians," he then added that this had led to Russia's disillusionment with post-Cold War relations with the West.

WHY DIDN'T GORBACHEV GET THE WEST TO PUT ITS AGREEMENT IN WRITING?

One argument from Western politicians is that this agreement wasn't in writing, so it doesn't exist. So why didn't Russia get this agreement in writing? For one thing, the idea of NATO expansion into the East at the time was absurd.