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Just regarding your point #4: actually, the Russians are opposed to Ukraine joining NATO and that is probably their main reason for invading. Were Ukraine to be

Just regarding your point #4: actually, the Russians are opposed to Ukraine joining NATO and that is probably their main reason for invading. Were Ukraine to become a full NATO member, it would be forever immune from Russian aspirations of reconstituting the old USSR empire which of course included Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakstan, and several others. Furthermore, if Ukraine joined, Georgia might be next, constituting a ring of NATO military installations right on Russia's western and southern flanks, and in the heart of what they consider the "near frontier". From their point of view, this would be unacceptable, and the few remaining Russia experts in the U.S. government and in western Europe are surely aware of this. This is not to say the Russians are justified in their very violent action in Ukraine, but it's important to understand their motivations if they are to be countered on any level short of all-out conventional war or, God forbid, nuclear armageddon. I do agree with your point #6, that "firm will to bring the world back from the brink" is required here. I don't think the various "cancel culture" sanctions will do anything useful -- might put pressure on the oligarchy, or might not. Does a billionaire care that Portugal (or whoever) has impounded his $20m yacht? Or that suddenly his UK bank accounts are frozen? I don't really know. But it's important to keep in mind human nature. Pushing the Russians too hard, e.g. cutting off Visa/Mastercard/Paypal, boycotting Russian athletes, etc., may backfire and create more sympathy for Putin's stance, thus prolonging the conflict and maybe escalating it disastrously.

yks 5y ago
So Russians are afraid of the countries joining NATO because they won't be able to invade them, got it. I mean, that's actually true as far as public Russian opinion goes but it also means that the NATO expansion is the most ethical thing to possibly do in the international politics.
- blisterpeanuts 5y ago
  Probably they feel about as happy about NATO on their doorstep, as the U.S. would feel about Mexico entering into a Chinese or Russian military alliance. The U.S. would not accept it, in other words.
  - yks 5y ago
    Except the US have not committed genocides in Mexico in the past, not planning on invading Mexico now or in the future, and there is DEFINITELY no talk of "Mexicans and Americans are same people" so that kind of whataboutism is really grasping at straws.
orwin 5y ago
I've read that the reasons for both wars could be that GDP/hab of Ukraine threaten to surpass Russia. Each time. They cannot accept than an ex USSR state could do that much better economically than them.
- sidibe 5y ago
  That ship sailed long ago in the Baltics

yks 5y ago

So Russians are afraid of the countries joining NATO because they won't be able to invade them, got it. I mean, that's actually true as far as public Russian opinion goes but it also means that the NATO expansion is the most ethical thing to possibly do in the international politics.

blisterpeanuts 5y ago
Probably they feel about as happy about NATO on their doorstep, as the U.S. would feel about Mexico entering into a Chinese or Russian military alliance. The U.S. would not accept it, in other words.
- yks 5y ago
  Except the US have not committed genocides in Mexico in the past, not planning on invading Mexico now or in the future, and there is DEFINITELY no talk of "Mexicans and Americans are same people" so that kind of whataboutism is really grasping at straws.

orwin 5y ago

I've read that the reasons for both wars could be that GDP/hab of Ukraine threaten to surpass Russia. Each time. They cannot accept than an ex USSR state could do that much better economically than them.

sidibe 5y ago
That ship sailed long ago in the Baltics