@steven_pifer You seem to have overlooked all the other East European countries that joined NATO since 1990: 3 Baltics, Poland, East Germany, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia. That's a few more than your 'just four'...
@steven_pifer 1) Kremlin decides what it wants to do. 2) Kremlin rationalizes/stages a reason to do what it secretly wants to do but purports does not want to do. 3) Kremlin does what it wants to do, shouting "YOU made me do it!". Top with a generous helping of extra victim-blaming word salad.
@steven_pifer Oh, really? I'm sure you'd be delighted if Mexico join an alliance with Russia and install Russian missiles just across the US border? Mexicans have the right to freely choose their allies, right?