It is entirely possible that NATO, in wanting to expand eastwards was nudging and winking at Ukraine to apply for membership of NATO, knowing full well that that would trigger an international incident.
NATO has always had an open door policy when it comes to membership with the condition that the armed forces meet minimum standards for inclusion . The Ukrainian forces during the 2014 conflict ,which was still ongoing but under the media radar , was in a poor state . Prior to the present conflict Ukraine was working towards these standards with many of their troops having under gone training by NATO troops . This was the only condition that was barring them entry at the time. Other former Warsaw Pac countries like Estonia ,Poland ,Bulgaria etc met these conditions and were voted in accordingly .After the dissolving of the Soviet Union It was Interesting that Russia was considering joining NATO under Boris Yeltsin in 1991 .He wrote a letter stating that was his long term aim . So for me Putin can stick that latter point in his pipe and smoke it !
These are Russian and Chinese talking points. ( I did not say "disinformation"), I said talking points.
