Russia under Putin annexed Crimea and 'pro-Russian separatists' (including Russian troops) were trying to take Ukrainian territory in Donbas.
So the threat from Russia under Putin was real, and there was every reason for Ukraine to wish to join a defensive alliance.
That the disgraceful Russian trolls who are posting on this site can just blithely ignore these facts is astounding.
No-one was 'poking the Russian bear', it is the warmonger Putin that had been taking bites out of sovereign Ukranian territory since 2014. The Russian people do not want war.
So far Ukrainian resistance has been stout. Heavy losses have been inflicted on the Russian aggressor. The Ukranian people are united under their leadership.
A thug is in charge in Russia, where this fascist tyrant poisons or imprisons his opponents. Russians protesting his evil war are arrested.
