> It is never another country's fault when you attack it, but you cannot claim it is unprovoked; Russia's claims regarding the buffer states have been clear sin

> It is never another country's fault when you attack it, but you cannot claim it is unprovoked; Russia's claims regarding the buffer states have been clear since the end of the cold war, and their demands were well known to both the UN and the EU. They poured oil on a simmering fire, and now the house is on fire... These countries are not "buffer" states for Russia to toy with, they are countries that have every right to join whatever alliances they want. And you must see how unsurprising it is that they all want to join NATO when Russia views them not as their own countries but as buffer regions for Russia.