NATO in 2004 all three were part of the USSR. They broke away from Russia in the 80's - inevitable, yes. There was no big secret there. 4 years after Putin came to power.
If NATO is the issue now, they would have been the issue in 2004.
The argument is Ukraine doesn't need to be the same as the Baltic's, they broke away from Russia as an independent and are happy to stay that way. That's it.
There is no NATO incursion into Russia - there's no statement that says Ukraine wants to take over Russia - There is only Russia invading Crimea 7 years ago
and now Russia wants all of it.
There is no NATO is at fault. There is no argument Ukraine was attacking Russia - It's Russia's gambit.
Putin needs a show of strength and he saw Ukraine as vulnerable. All this other stuff is smoke. And, sad to say, you're a sucker for it. You can parse it anyway you want
this is all on Russia, not NATO, not Nazism or any other spin you can find.
There is no argument - there isn't even an opinion - It's a fact - Russia invaded a sovereign nation. That's it!