For years, many of us argued that key policymakers were fully aware of the risks associated with expanding NATO closer to Russia’s borders. Now, newly disclosed documents appear to provide additional evidence supporting that view. I walk through the records, the historical timeline, the warnings issued by British officials in the 1990s, and the decisions that followed. The details are remarkable, and they’re not getting much attention.
And if Ukraine knew the risks and decided it was a risk worth taking for the prospect of a better future for them, I totally get that.
I do think a lot of good could come out of this, in the end. I think it’s already pushed Europe to be more proactive about their own defense. I hope it continues to push Europe to see the Eastern part of the continent as worthy of protection and inclusion.