[unpopularopp]

>You're assuming that Russia would feel like it needed to conquer its neighbors in a peaceful world

I mean after 45 years of Soviet occupation of Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia etc. didn't know what people expect from those countries. Of course they don't want to see any russians ever again.

Or once again: is it their fate that they always have to be the vassal of Russia just because of their location?

Most of these countries were historically and culturally always closer to Germany, "the west", than Russia.