[ordinaryradical]

Of course it is in their interest. The problem is that Russia only knows how to bully, oppress, or violently interfere with their neighbors.

You cannot get along with a tiger who only regards you as a meal.

[crazybonkersai]

That's blatantly false. Look at the map, Russia has good relations with majority of its neighbours. It is only NATO and its vassals Russia has got sour relations and for that NATO has nobody else to blame than themselves. Had Russia been integrated into European security/economic structures from day one, we wouldn't be in the current mess.

[samastur]

EU has been a neighbour of Russia since a very long time as Finland joined EU in 1995. Not being a neighbour hasn’t been an option in a very long time as there are now several countries bordering it. Beside EU is not a military alliance so why should it matter?

Russia has only ever expanded, but since you seem to be wrong just about everything no surprise there.

[hkpack]

> Russia is one of the few powers who's borders have retreated in my lifetime

What part of russian border retreated in your lifetime?

[mopsi]

Spreading this expansion narrative is intellectually dishonest. For decades, the power balance has been such that Eastern Europe has sought to join Western cooperation platforms like the EU, against lukewarm reception from existing members.

France was cautious about East Germany joining the EU, fearing economic strain. Germany had reservations about Poland. Poland generally supports Ukraine's membership, but remains concerned about security and migration. And so it goes.

Attempts to depict this as the EU somehow forcing itself eastward are 100% pure bullshit. New members have generally had to fight an uphill battle to gain entry into the union. They are usually poorer, work for lower wages, and undermine the economies of existing members of the common market until economic development levels catch up in a few decades.