“Ukraine chose not to renew because Russia seized Crimea and had little green men throughout the eastern provinces. Russia broke the treaty, but claims Ukraine broke it when they stated a desire and aspiration to join the EU and NATO. A major element of the treaty is that neither party would do anything to lessen the security of the other. It’s not a stretch to claim having one’s decades long, existential enemy invited to exercise next door is a violation.”
Russia created the CSTO in 2002, which — with the inclusion of Belarus — completely surrounded Ukraine on two sides (along the entirety of Ukraine’s northern border, as well as its eastern border; and part of its southwestern border at Transnistria; not to mention Russia’s Black Sea Fleet to Ukraine’s south). And Russia is bitching about NATO?
I’m sorry but it doesn’t matter who is the bad guy. This is A1 World Class BFI (Brute Force and Ignorance) at work and it doesn’t care about niceties nor UN sanctions. Kill it or be killed.
“And Russia is bitching about NATO?”
Of course.
They were determined to keep Ukraine in the sphere of influence, if not a full client state.