The Russian perception of the threat is what determines its political and military policies. Russia takes appropriate action in its national interests. Western classification of NATO as a defensive Pact is not the Russian definition. The air strikes against targets in the former Yugoslavia supports their view regardless of our arguments. There is no question that Russia considers the eastward expansion of NATO a threat to it national security.
Economic considerations limit immediate effective Russian reaction.
However, the steps already taken include rapprochement with China. In the longer term this union has great potential dangers to the Western World. Both Russia and China perceive that a common enemy is taking action to contain and to isolate them. The military, technological and economic repercussions of the actions already taken by Moscow and Beijing, and the further actions planned, are not in Western interests. It is not too late to review our policies which brought about the rapprochement.