Ukraine was not rejected...

If you can't comprehend how nuclear weapons pointed towards Russia's capital constitutes a "direct threat" then any further discussion is pointless.

"The US and NATO rejected the proposals' key provisions, particularly the demand that Ukraine be denied membership in the alliance."

https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/russia-ukraine-crisis/russia-mulls-insisting-nato-to-officially-reject-ukraines-membership-to-bloc-articleshow.html