[erw1]

What do poverty rates or liberal democracy have to do with NATO expansion?

Russians will be sensitive to what happens in their frontier regardless of who sits in the Kremlin, or which party dominates the Duma. They don't want to see an alien military alliance straddle their borderlands. That's the story. That's the WHOLE story. And it won't change even if Putin drops dead today, and Navalny is elected president tomorrow.

[gandhium]

> They don't want to see an alien military alliance straddle their borderlands.

And all countries that bordered Russia don't want to see Russian military straddle their borderlands.

So... the obvious solution - counterbalance.

[erw1]

The obvious solution seems to have backfired.

[gandhium]

Why? So far Russia invaded only neighbors which weren't in NATO, so apparently joining NATO was (and still is) right way to protect your country from Russian aggression.

[erw1]

I suppose that means Ukraine and Georgia should try to join NATO. Then Russians won't invade them anymore.

[sequence7]

I was addressing two separate points, the effect of liberal democracy on Russia and the NATO expansion being treated as a threat. I probably should have made that more clear.