I don't want to discuss if this is right or wrong, but it is just to point out that there was room for diplomatic maneuvers
Exactly! There was always room for diplomatic maneuvers right up until Russia mobilized an army and entered Ukraine with the intent to roll the entire nation up in a week and replace their twice elected elected government.
That, and that alone is the defining moment when diplomatic and negotiations came to an end and a became a mute point.
Call it a special operation as, many would like. It was a declaration of war against a nation who had rejected Russia influence and voted as a nation twice to demonstrate they continued to reject Russia external controls.
A “Neutral Ukraine ” Russia cries out. a neutral Ukraine but only when it has a Russia Approved leader and government is such an absurd proposition to make.
This is all dialectic crap!
Russia and the west played the diplomatic game after the USSR fell and most (not all) post soviet satellite states moved decidedly to the west. Why did it happened? Call it what you will; globalism, good diplomacy, perceived better economic opportunities, mutual defense assurances from a recently past oppressive nation.
It really just doesn’t matter Russia lost the geopolitical war with the west when it came to where old soviet nations sought their economic and defensive alliances.
So the west cheated? what the hell is cheating in the zero sum game of geopolitical maneuverings. Does Putin not cheat and maneuver and invaded small weak neighbors?
Russia did not have anything to offer what most of the old soviet states wanted and they threw in with nato and the EU.
That’s it in a nut shell, period full stop!
Why it happens and how it came about is just historical nuances. They were not invaded and forced at the barrel of a tank to become nato or EU members.
The made conscious debated decisions and both parties agreed to the alliances with free will.
So what if Russia was outmaneuvered or it’s arguments for Russian sphere of influence were not heeded. Those nations which Russia consider their sphere of influence no longer sought or wanted Russia influence.
That simply in itself nullify’s Russia demand . Putin’s Russia was soundly rejected by close to a dozen nations and somehow this is foul play by the west? That absurd!
Are we saying that Russias demand for influence or control over neighboring states trumps the will of those states?
Seriously is that we’re trying to prop up Russia with?
That is a ridiculous and tired proposition to make.
Eastern Europe by in large has rejected Putin’s Russia. Why is this even an issue save for the fact Putin will wage war to reestablish it and introduce the threat of nuclear weapons to the conflict they infact started.
By the way that is a prime example of what an aggressing army is.
Here is a thought Russia immediately withdraws to the pre-war boarders. Nullifies the illegal annexation referendums carried out in the middle of a open conflict. And ends all military operations in and over Ukraine.
This would be an acceptable place to begin negotiations.
How about we discuss war damage reparations for Ukraine?
See there is going to be no pie on the sky negotiated truce and settlement.
Putin is too proud and foolish to admit a defeat on this scale. And the Russian people and military are either too weak (a legitimate and understood possibility) or they themselves are too proud and weak and foolish they let a pied piper lead them into a foolish and failed war.
So this will be a war of attrition grinding away in Ukraine for months or years.
Well done Russia with what you have brought to the world.
