Russia has always gone through ups and downs they will rise again and be the major player in post Cold War Europe (Monroe doctrine type like you mentioned )once they get rid of Putin and focus on boosting there economy rather than annexing UkraineRussia wants to be the USA for the western theater and see it as not only his birth right the last tsar were them I think, that's a caesar title claiming they are his heirs and he wouldn't agree with their nonsensical liberal democracies.
He did push Nordic nations into NATO but he already knew they already were silently and made them show their cards. The problem with neutral nation they will assess where u will go in the event of provocation.
Listen small fries in Europe isn't the issue he wants Germany and UK as high priority to play its middle power role under Russia sphere of influence and they then manage the small fries.