Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visit a military exhibition after attending an extended meeting of the Russian Defense Ministry Board at the National Defense Control Center in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021. The Russian president on Tuesday reiterated the demand for guarantees from the U.S. and its allies that NATO will not expand eastward, blaming the West for current tensions in Europe. (Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)