[ivan_gammel]

They try to make a point by demonstrating what is NATO expansion to them. Their only goal is to reduce NATO presence, not to expand anywhere. By creating a menace without actual invasion they try to discredit US government which makes failing predictions one after other and shifting public opinion, so that NATO will be forced to negotiate a number of treaties on favorable conditions. After all, NATO did seem to promise non-expansion as recently found archive document shows.