this question is from the Ukraine megathread but I thought I'd put it here in case it gets buried in the megathread since its an important question @ass (who I guess it won't let me tag)
I want to understand NATO aggression in a more concrete way
What happens to Russia if Ukraine joins NATO, putting NATO on Russia’s border? What are the possible military, economic, social, political consequences?
Also, related, what would motivate Ukraine to want to join NATO? What do they get in the bargain?
NATO on the border allows for NATO to stage equipment right on the border. That means significantly less time to react until bombers, missiles, tanks, etc are outright in Russian territory.
Add in that much of Russia is in the western side of Russia, and and NATO in Ukraine becomes scarily close.
As for why Ukraine wants to be in NATO: generally, it guarantees that Russia can’t fuck with them militarily. Geopolitics 101 for small countries is to use far away powers to balance against nearby great powers. More specifically, the current govt was installed by a western-backed coup. Those in power benefit personally from that approach, either by deepening their own connections, or avoiding getting shot by NATO-aligned militias.