It's more than dumb. Russia's current actions are actually only now making NATO presence in the region tangibly stronger (see: Sweden, Finland). This wouldn't happen without Putin invading Ukraine.
The difference is whether or not you're on the open plains leading to Moscow. The eastern edge of the Carpathian Mountains has always been a hard line for Russia, going back to the middle ages, because once the plain to Moscow opens up, it's nearly indefensible. That edge is in eastern Ukraine.
It's a very 19th/20th century view on 21st century geopolitics, but hey, that's modern Russia for you.
There's nothing NATO can do with Ukraine they couldn't already do with the Baltics.