[mercy_dude]

> I don't think Ukraine was even being seriously considered for NATO until Russia decided to surround the country with its military recently.

West backed Ukraine leadership applied for NATO membership as early as 2008.

http://www.unian.net/eng/news/news-287949.html

[DeathArrow]

And Putin came personally to 2008 NATO summit in Bucharest to tell that Russia won't tolerate this.