I hate how the talk of NATO expanding is something that happens on its own, like its a force of nature or some beast. It completely removes the agency of the people of the countries that want to join NATO and believe it to be a much better option that remaining out of it, because of the threat of Russia. These people do not see the atrocities NATO did in the Middle East, they see the big looming shadow of Russia and look to the nearest option for their own safety. Whether NATO would actually go to war with Russia over Lithuania or Bulgaria is another question, that these smaller members I think prefer not to think about.