Frankly if the objective was keeping Russia in check. While ensuring Diplomatic relations. Probably would have been better getting Poland, Hungary, Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria, and other regions on the border that immediately joined NATO or have/are trying to join now. post Soviet collapse into their own Defensive NATO esc Alliance. Just for Eastern/Northern Europe.
Russia gets NATO off its Borders. Eastern Europe gets some measure of protection if the Russians decide to go all USSR/Russian Empire again. And The West and Russia for that matter gets a potential market for their Defense industries. And a power that could serve to be a check on the shenanigans of their opposite number.
Frankly if the objective was keeping Russia in check. While ensuring Diplomatic relations. Probably would have been better getting Poland, Hungary, Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria, and other regions on the border that immediately joined NATO or have/are trying to join now. post Soviet collapse into their own Defensive NATO esc Alliance. Just for Eastern/Northern Europe.
Russia gets NATO off its Borders. Eastern Europe gets some measure of protection if the Russians decide to go all USSR/Russian Empire again. And The West and Russia for that matter gets a potential market for their Defense industries. And a power that could serve to be a check on the shenanigans of their opposite number.