I think the issue is that Russia cannot have another go at invading Ukraine if this one fails if they are in NATO. So Russia stamps its feet to try and meet it

I think the issue is that Russia cannot have another go at invading Ukraine if this one fails if they are in NATO. So Russia stamps its feet to try and meet its imperial goals by dissuading the west from allowing Ukraine into NATO then it can reconstitute its army and have another go. That’s not possible if Ukraine is in NATO. Which is why Russia screams about NATO expansion and non existent promises for NATO not to expand. Because it’s very bad for their future ambitions of conquering a bunch of post soviet states in Eastern Europe.