More than Russia and NATO I blame Ukraine's poor political leadership for the current pathetic situation of Ukraine. If Ukraine's politicians believes it can ig

More than Russia and NATO I blame Ukraine's poor political leadership for the current pathetic situation of Ukraine. If Ukraine's politicians believes it can ignore either Russia's or NATO's security concern, they are fools. They are also fools if they believe either Russia or NATO can be fully trusted. What is needed is not false bravado, but the pragmatism to realistically understand one's position in the world order, and act accordingly. Look at how India walks a tightrope while managing its relationship with the super powers USA and Russia and emerging power China. Whenever any of these countries raise security concern about the other, we weigh our own positions realistically and carefully (both security concerns and our own soft and hard power) and then try to balance that while trying to address the concerns raised. And that's why today we are part of both BRICS, which is seen as an anti-west organisation, while also being part of the Quad, which is perceived as an anti-China and anti-Russia outfit. At the same time India knows it needs to be economically and militarily self-reliant, and has never ignored that aspect and thus has military relationships with both the US and Russia, and economic relationship with all three. People mock our non-aligned foreign policy, but the far-sightedness of not allying with any super power continues to serve India very well even today, and something that the Ukrainians need to understand and embrace too. If they play their card well, they could very well replace Russia as the major power in that area, with the right leadership and patience.