re: Latest Updates: Russia-Ukraine Conflict

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Why do nations want in NATO? Not to attack Russia, but to have allies agsinst a Russian attack.

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What is the downside to NATO membership for these countries?

A lot of them are spending nearly 2% GDP on defense anyway (and once they are in NATO its not exactly overly enforced if they don't hit 2%). Why not get the strongest militaries in the world to subsidize your defense?

ETA: I ask this because there definitely is downside for the US. We do most of the heavy lifting in NATO. We are tactically isolated geographically. Even the UK and France, who could defend themselves against most armies in the world rather easily, benefit from the strength in numbers aspect with actual neighbor countries being in a defense pact.