> Because decades of NATO expansion have nothing to do with this [0], having literal NATO exercises at the border of Russia Putin has told the world many times

> Because decades of NATO expansion have nothing to do with this [0], having literal NATO exercises at the border of Russia Putin has told the world many times that the Ukrainians (and other former Warsaw Pact countries) aren't real countries and destined to be colonies at best. All his actions align with these sentiments. For example, Belarus never threatened to join NATO, but they were invaded and subjugated all the same. This is 100% on Putin and Russia.