Imagine respecting sovereignty so little that you believe smaller countries' foreign policy should be decided by the interests of larger neighbours rather than themselves.
On a not totally unrelated note, hypothetically, if Israel renounced its ties with the US and opposed US imperialism, and the Palestinians got at least nominal US support, I wonder if people's opinions would change.
No because there's no way to defend Russia actions here. The only way they can debate this is talking about America's sins. This is the purest form of whataboutism
The last few weeks have given the clearest reason yet for Eastern Europeans to join NATO. Because the only other global power-player in the region doesn't respect its own legal commitments, and has no qualms whatsoever in invading, annexing, and slaughtering them. The only functional defence is in collective security.
That sounds far fetched. It would do nothing for the domestic propaganda; those soldiers would still be missing and assumed dead.
Disbanding NATO atm is very much not realistic. If the alliance had troubles before, this invasion bought it 20-30 years at least.
We can replace "America" with a safe word.
www.commondreams.org
Honestly, I am inclined to believe that China knew Russia was going to invade Ukraine, and effectively okayed it - I do not think Russia would endanger its relations with China at the same time that it annihilated its relations with the West, otherwise it really would be cut off.
Russia has essentially two non compatible arguments.
Feels entitled to, perhaps, but can get away with attacking a NATO member like that is another thing.
Maybe attempting to militarily capture a super radiated area is a bad idea.Ukraine Officials Warn Chernobyl Radiation Levels 'Exceeded'
Experts attribute the increased radiation levels to the Russian military's current assault on Ukraine.
(put on tinfoil hat)
imagine respecting smaller countries' so little that you believe they should be strung along with false promises such that they'll suffer a losing war on your behalf without any significant support. And the false promiser isn't at fault, so convenient!
Is there a point somewhere in repeating your favored shibboleths?
Indeed, "those were the conditions", and whether they're utterly unreasonable or coercive doesn't even factor into your equation. So in essence, you're defending the right of powers to issue whatever ultimatums they want on weaker countries, and then to respond with extreme force if they're not met. Then the blame rests with those who didn't just capitulate and surrender their sovereignty.
Same as the point in repeating yours, as always!
Not expand, country ask to join NATO. That's not the alliance expanding, that's country freely deciding to join it, big difference. Russia is trying to expand by capturing Ukraine.
Seanchaidh has been very clear that he doesn't believe in the sovereignty of or free determination for countries that act against his personal beliefs. If they choose to join NATO or join the EU or even just indicate a preference for the west in general, their rights and even citizens no longer matter; it's better for daddy Putin to step in and put those countries on the correct path regardless of who gets trampled in the process.