By Kester Kenn Klomegah*
MOSCOW | HELSINKI (IDN) — Further expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) toward Russia's territorial backyard is nothing new. As a prestigious security alliance, it consistently seeks consolidated development in terms of tasks and membership strength. The collapse of the Soviet Union marked the end of Mikhail Gorbachev and ushering in of Boris Yeltsin as the first President of the Russian Federation. There were negotiations aimed at preparing Russia to ascend unto NATO and even join the European Union (EU).