Comparing a fellow socialist regime intent on taking over the world and NATO, isn't relevant.
Russia has seen NATO go into Afghanistan............... as far a stretch from North Atlantic as you can have
F#$k, its almost impossible to get them to agree on anything thats a threat and take action. probability of NATO invading Russia, 1 in infinity. Anyone who thinks otherwise needs help. Probability of NATO taking action against Russia if (not saying they would) it commits genocide amongst a portion of its population 1 infinity.
Look at the Ukraine situation, they could legally go in at the invitation of the government. But what are they getting, meals and uniforms, NATO a threat to Russia, what a F$#king joke, how stupid you people must think we are.
100 years ago Russia would not have thought it would be invaded twice and millions killed.
History does that to a people, look at German attitude to INFLATION, Japanese peoples attitude to its military doing anything outside its shores, Chinese attitude to Japanese military or anybody else on it borders, Israels attitude to ANY attack on Jewish people, UK/French attitude to Germany having a strong military, US attitude to Russian nukes on Cuba............... Russian attitude to what it sees on its border is no different.
Its the intent that is seen as threatening because even when person making it has no malicious intent the person following may have a different viewpoint.
Russia had a declaration from a US President that NATO would not expand eastwards, next President then does the complete opposite, would you then trust the words of a US President ?
I have heard the semantics that as it wasn't in a treaty then you cannot rely on it.
In which case the interpretation of Russia is that the US President stating something as CiC of the US to Russian President only applies when he is in office...........in which case Russia automatically disregard his word and commitment because next incumbent is not bound by it and can ignore it.
Its not a place US and Russia should even be.