Why do you think nations asked to join NATO?
Sweden has been rigidly non-aligned. Even it has seen
fit to ask NATO to join.
Should NATO simply refuse any such requests?
If Russia does conquer the Ukraine, have you guys figured
out how many nations have to drop out of NATO so they
don’t get invaded?
Right, wrong or indifferent it doesn’t matter. The situation the Russians are in is exactly as I described. It was an unsustainable position. I despise war, especially unnecessary war but if I were a Russian I’d support Putin’s action here. I would have have demanded it as would you. All of these new NATO states are virulently anti Russian. They had a Soviet boot on their throat only 30 years ago. Putin knows that, Putin was part of that. You don’t think they take NATO regime change threats seriously? Russia keeps control of the four oblasts and Crimea and Ukraine remains only an unofficial member of NATO or they will retaliate in such a way as the very next escalation crosses the nuclear threshold. Either side is fully capable of being the one. For what? WWIII for a centuries old local blood feud, no, WWIII over checkmate of woke western globalism.