It doesn’t matter what you believe, nor what I believe to be promised, implied, hinted at, etc. It is the World of political speak.
What matters is what Putin believes was promised (however it was worded) and has acted on it.
oh bye the way the USA is NATO. We created it, we funded it, we have troops over there. So when Secretary of State James Baker negotiated the United States’ agreement with the Soviet Union on the reunification of East with West Germany in 1990, what cards were played? What was offered Russia, what was verbally promised? In 1990’s the USA had the upper hand, now Russia may have the weak hand but we have called their Bluff.
We just doubled down by sending Tanks! Oh notice how Germany and Poland are moving in lock step with the USA.... wonder how the USA got two independent countries to follow the plan.......
of course it matters
there is no written agreement. Baker was never the NATO spokesman. Baker promised that Germany would not expand to the east. That’s well-known fact
and putin is a known liar! that matters as well