They've been demanding NATO go away ever since NATO was founded. You would think, after seventy or so years, they would find a new script writer.
One would be wise to note that the Russian Federation has not issued such ultimatums since the collapse of the Soviet Union, and therefore something has changed. One would also be wise to recall that Russia has a clear historic pattern of expansion and contraction, conquering and annexing Eastern Europe followed by losing those territories later. Given that established pattern, it’s likely Russia will someday repeat it, unless a novel variable interferes with that process. If NATO is that variable, that would explain why Moscow is posturing against a non-NATO Eastern European nation seeking NATO ascension, while demanding NATO abandon its present Eastern European members. That is however not to say that NATO is necessarily a sufficient deterrent to prevent Moscow from repeating its historic pattern of expansion. The Russian may perceive solutions to the threat posed by NATO, should Russia repeat its expansionist pattern, and may therefore assess methods of reliably mitigating that threat.
What we see today is an indicator of revanchism, and the execution of thoughtful planning. Beyond that, nothing is certain. It would however be unwise to dismiss Russia’s behavior based solely on normalcy bias.
Originally Posted by airforce
I don't see any reason for us to get involved, other than selling arms to Ukraine. Ukraine means nothing to us, either militarily or economically
What happened in Ukraine in 2014 was a western coup against the democratically elected government in Kiev, though a corrupt puppet of Moscow. The hands of western governments, western corporations and western oligarchs could clearly be seen in this event, and some called it “the most transparent coup in history.” The present government of Kiev is a corrupt puppet of Washington and Brussels, and Moscow’s intervention was/is for the purpose of stripping Ukraine from US/EU’s grasp and once again rendering it a puppet of Moscow. There are no good guys in this conflict, but all parties have interests involved.
The American people have no interests in Ukraine, but that isn’t to say that the American government and certain American corporations and American oligarchs don’t.
