You're missing one important thing - all of the countries controlled by Soviets wanted out. Life at the other side of Berlin wall was objectively better. It is

You're missing one important thing - all of the countries controlled by Soviets wanted out. Life at the other side of Berlin wall was objectively better. It is true till today (see protests in Belarus after elections, and as the matter of fact - current war). This line of argument assumes, that if NATO refrained from expansion, east Europe would be a happy Russian family. That's not true. I'm living in a post Soviet country and I find argument, that we were pawn played into joining NATO repulsive. We wanted to join NATO because it was only way to stop Russia from exploiting us. It came with tradeoffs of course, but it's not directly comparable in any way, shape or form. Russian propaganda loves this narrative about "geopolitical goals", because it is making them look like equal peer being challenged by expanding west. This is not true. They are bully trying to keep control of their victims.