I’m sure Putin thinks it’s an excellent move. A weaker NATO makes his ambitions much easier.
He already knows that NATO is incapable and unwilling to interfere with him militarily or politically. What would adding these four countries to to change that?
Adding welfare cases makes NATO weaker. The combination of expanded obligations and additional votes in an organization that requires unanimity is turning NATO into an expensive bull session rather than an alliance with teeth. They need to get their act together, militarily, before we should consider admitting them. If they won't or can't do so, maybe they aren't cut out to be independent nations. There is a reason they remained a part of the Russian empire, whereas Poland and Finland drove the Russians out.