Hacker News Reader

Polls done in the 90s in the Eastern European countries provide a picture contrary to what you're claiming here. As an example - Poland (my home country), https://www.cbos.pl/SPISKOM.POL/2022/K_040_22.PDF - 60% of population willing to join NATO in 1999. Only 11% against. You also should consider that support for NATO today is at a level of 94%.

Your statement is contrary to the information I’m seeing. Can you provide an example, please?

That is just not true.

Most NATO members from East Europe/ex communist countries held referendums on NATO membership. And I can't recall a single state that would join NATO against the will of general population. Happy to be proven wrong if my memory failed me.