But you didn't extend the zone of safe and free society; if anything, you reduced it. And it's not like you can claim it was an unforeseen consequence: Russia told you explicitly that they would "take military and other steps along its borders if ex-Soviet Ukraine and Georgia join NATO" [1], an then they proceeded to do just that in Georgia [2].

So you poked the bear without having any way to contain it, and you shouldn't be surprised that people blame you for it having razed the village.

[1] http://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-nato-steps-idUSL114...

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russo-Georgian_War