Never forget that NATO was collaborating with Nazis and performing false flag terrorist operations in Europe after WW2 to instill red panic and install pro-US leaders.

Ever wondered why all of those countries wanted to join NATO?

Based on what? NATO gave non-expansion assurances to USSR and Russia has been pretty adamant they are not the successor to the USSR. There's no reasonable explanation why NATO shouldn't have expanded into the former soviet states. After all those states wanted NATO to expand there.

Maybe Russia should've done a better job being a partner to the former soviet states. With the exception of Belarus Russia doesn't have any positive relations in eastern europe, and even Belarus is a huge exception because Lukashenko can't stay in power without Russia. The only former ally Russia had was Ukraine and we all know how that went for Ukraine. Russia is a huge threat to the sovereignty of those countries and Russia has had zero interest in having good relations with those countries. Is it really any wonder those countries fled under the banner of NATO? I don't think so.

Also Russia is the top promoter of NATO. The article mentions how Sweden and Finland have maintained neutrality for over half a century. They could've joined NATO any time they wanted and they didn't. But then Putin threatened both countries and within months both countries decided to join NATO. You have to go into some conspiracy theory mode to ignore the obvious cause and effect here. I will say with 100% certainty that if Russia had not invaded Ukraine and Putin had not threatened Sweden and Finland then neither country would've taken any steps towards joining NATO. Because why should they, why take the obligations if there's no threat to defend yourself from?

In fact let's not forget that prior to the Ukraine invasion the sentiment was moving towards whether NATO is even necessary anymore. Maybe 10 years from now NATO would've dissolved all by itself. But we won't know that now because the invasion of Ukraine has been a signal to countries that NATO is still necessary. Russia's actions are keeping NATO alive.

If Ukraine is of any indication the only thing NATO has done to Russia is prevent them from invading the Baltics and Poland. Do you really think that's a bad thing?

Why shouldn't former DDR countries sign a defensive pact? Why would Russia not want them to do that?

You're both right

Sure, it was a dumb move because it angered Russia, but it's not a reason to murder civilians.

Even ignoring the Ukraine war, was there any possible path for Russia to become militarily aligned with Nordic countries?

Yes. Simple: Stop being Europe's black sheep. Advance, politically, past imperial ambitions. Sweden ruled Finland for nearly 700 yet the two get along splendidly, how is that?

Russia was doing a ton of trade in Europe and Finland especially before the invasion of Ukraine. So yea, if Russia had not been doing invasions since like 2008 they would have been in a position to be trusted for military cooperation but their actions taken against neighboring countris has made their other neighbors quite scared of who might be next and thus they allign with NATO for protection. So, yea, the path was not doing invasions and building trust through trade and cooperation.