You idea about a misinterpretation of Gorbachev's words "violation of the spirit" is contradicted by the rest of that sentence, binding the spirit to the words

You idea about a misinterpretation of Gorbachev's words "violation of the spirit" is contradicted by the rest of that sentence, binding the spirit to the words of the Treaty of 1990. The very promise to Gorbachev that NATO would not expand eastward is, as he says, legally enshrined in that treaty: "Foreign armed forces and nuclear weapons or their carriers will not be stationed", though only for the east "part of Germany". At that time it would have been unthinkable to discuss any further expansion of NATO. To blatantly deny this fact is "modern-day NATO propaganda". But you are welcome to claim, that "no discussion, no promises, no agreement" about this was ever written in treaties - if you every time remember to add "except for the part about eastern Germany, where that promise is very well documented".