Jack Matlock: NATO’s Broken Promises - The Road to War in Europe

NATO shifted from a defensive to an offensive alliance, exemplified by the bombing of Serbia and the recognition of Kosovo's independence without mutual consent.

NATO expansion and missile deployments were offensive acts that Russia reasonably opposed, but the U.S. proceeded because it believed Russia was too weak to resist.

U.S. efforts to spread democracy through pressure and sanctions are illogical, violate sovereignty, and often result in authoritarian regimes rather than democracy.

Ukraine's conflict is a civil war created by outside intervention, and pushing for NATO membership ignored Ukrainian public opinion and guaranteed Russian opposition.

Germany's boycott of Russian energy and arms supply to Ukraine harms its own economy and serves U.S. military-industrial interests rather than German interests.

The West has abandoned the private, cooperative diplomacy that ended the Cold War in favor of public demonization and ideological confrontation, which is counterproductive.

NATO expansion is the basic issue causing the war in Ukraine, and European leaders who deny this are ignoring historical precedents and acting irrationally.