Some people buy into the narrative that NATO is partially to blame for the war because it allowed Ukraine to seek membership.

It seems like nonsense to me because Ukraine has not joined NATO nor is it close to doing so.

Another side would be to compare the war to other US wars of recent years. This has a bit more merit as the US has done similar invasions including bombing civilians with even more flimsy justifications without becoming an international pariah state like Russia is now. You won’t find the BBC making such comparison for sure. But two wrongs don’t make a right.