Kennan’s thoughts in 1997 in his diary on NATO expansion:
That the Russians will not react wisely and moderately to the decision of NATO to extend its boundaries to the Russian frontiers is clear. They are already reacting differently
The deep commitment of our government to press the expansion of NATO right up to the Russian borders is the greatest mistake of the entire post–Cold War period. I feel that I should state that view publicly. But then it would be wrong to do this without notifying the few friends
Just as they, without consulting me, have nailed their flag to their mast, so must I nail my flag to mine. Let them see how they can extract themselves from the mess they themselves have created.
I have been rendered most unhappy by the press reports of the NATO meeting in Madrid where the formal decision was taken to admit Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary to membership in NATO… How, one asks, are the Russians to take this? What NATO missions are there for which …
“Marion, I am simply heartbroken over what is now occurring. I see nothing in it other than a new Cold War, probably ending in a hot one, and the end of the effort to achieve a workable democracy in Russia. I see also a total, tragic, and wholly unnecessary end to an acceptable