We should have taken Russian paranoia serious. I think that is absolutely true. That is also something I have criticized Western choices and actions for. There is actually a very well written article in New York times covering this: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/11/magazine/trump-putin-ukraine-fiona-hill.html

It makes a good point about how we picked the worst compromise. Instead of letting Ukraine join or say they cannot join we promised them that they would join "some time in the future."

All that achieved was zero safety for Ukraine and anger and resentment in the Kremlin.

But I refuse to accept that as a nefarious or bad faith decision on part of the West. We screwed up, but not out of malice or desire to hurt Russia or Ukraine.

I don't think Russia has any moral right to demand that a country cannot join NATO. I have personally opposed NATO a long time, not because I am against alliances but because I don't agree with the aggressive foreign policy of the US. I want us to be allied in Europe but not allied with the US. I don't think the US reflects European values.

But as NATO is now the only choice for a smaller country that wishes to be safe in a larger alliance, one cannot deny a country that. Russia complained loudly when Norway joined NATO as well. We did it anyway as is our right as a soverign nation.

I would be a hypocrite if I should have argued that Ukraine should have been denied the right to chose NATO membership. As a soverign nation they have that right. Whether NATO should accept them or not is another matter.

However Putin did not even accept that they wanted to apply.

So I make some clear separations on my views on this topic:

1. Ukraine is morally justified in applying to NATO membership. Ukraine's safety is of no less importance than the safety of Russia.

2. We cannot ignore practical realities. Russia is a run by a paranoid leadership. We significantly understimated how batshit crazy Putin would go over Ukraine seeking a closer Western connection.

We should never have given Ukraine any promises apart from possibly EU membership.