They'd still have to deal with a two sided population, which is in open rebellion. It may be too late for Russia to ignore Russians protesting and dying in eastern Ukraine.
The solution is for Ukraine to be a neutral federal state that stays out of military alliances, and in return, for Russia to back off.
Then Ukraine can focus on their economic problems instead of playing geopolitical games one way or another.
The solution is for Ukraine to be a neutral federal state that stays out of military alliances, and in return, for Russia to back off.
Then Ukraine can focus on their economic problems instead of playing geopolitical games one way or another.
They'd still have to deal with a two sided population, which is in open rebellion. It may be too late for Russia to ignore Russians protesting and dying in eastern Ukraine.
Christ the spark that ignited this was Ukraine trying to improve their economic problems with agreements with the EU, NOT join NATO, that prompted Russia to bribe the then Ukrainian president to reject.
All you are is one giant sack of bullshit. You repeatedly show zero thought into anything you write.
So then why not take NATO expansion off the table? If their goal is to trade with EU, then they can sign trade deals with EU and remain neutral.
There was a defense coordination component to the EU association agreement, it wasn't all about trade. NATO has gone hand in hand with EU into former Soviet Republics.
At this point a country would have to be insane to take NATO expansion off the table. Russia doesn't dare to mess with NATO neighbors and has repeatedly attacked non-NATO members. Short of nukes the primary foreign policy goal of any state neighboring Russia is probably NATO membership at this point.
This is why Russia will not back off until it's guaranteed no NATO membership for Ukraine. They aren't buying that Ukraine only wants to be in the EU and not NATO.
That's why a federal state. Each region can live how they want to and run their own local government how they see fit. Right now they don't even get to elect their own governors, those are appointed from Kiev, so every time the government in Kiev changes, they send a new guy to rule over some region who nobody in that region has voted for. And every time there is new government, the country changes course from east to west and back, which is creating this continuous fracture in the country between pro-western and pro-eastern segments. This is tearing the country apart. They need neutrality and federalism, like Switzerland.
The Ukraine should join NATO. Russia just demonstrated to them that they need it.
oh shit i bet you think that russians in ukraine can live like those in switzerland
autonomy or not they will start disrupting shit again
For Russia too, it's been a bad bet to allow foreign military alliances to come to its doorstep, and in Ukraine even more so. Russian security has always relied on maintaining a buffer zone between itself and potential enemies. You can argue that it's being paranoid, but it's pretty clear that it's not going to allow NATO in Ukraine, no matter what, and it has already demonstrated how far it's willing to go in that goal.
So the peace in our time talk is nice, but talk is cheap. Time is coming when NATO will have to put up and fight a hot, potentially nuclear, war with Russia, or shut up. It's just the reality of where this situation is going. It's unfair to Ukraine to tell it which alliances it can and can't join, but the alternatives are going to be far worse.
This is why Russia will not back off until it's guaranteed no NATO membership for Ukraine. They aren't buying that Ukraine only wants to be in the EU and not NATO.
If that is Russia's goal they have made a grievous strategic error. Ukraine was not moving towards joining NATO and public support there for joining NATO was low. After the Russian invasion not only are western governments more interested in surrounding and containing Russia but support within Ukraine has skyrocketed. Something that before was widely opposed in Ukraine now looks likely.
Long story short, there is literally nothing Russia could have done that would make Ukrainian membership in NATO more likely. It has also made the implications of NATO membership stronger for Ukraine.
Nothing would make Russia more likely to invade than the Ukraine trying to join NATO. It is like waving raw meat in front of a starving dog.
If that is Russia's goal they have made a grievous strategic error. Ukraine was not moving towards joining NATO and public support there for joining NATO was low. After the Russian invasion not only are western governments more interested in surrounding and containing Russia but support within Ukraine has skyrocketed. Something that before was widely opposed in Ukraine now looks likely.
Long story short, there is literally nothing Russia could have done that would make Ukrainian membership in NATO more likely. It has also made the implications of NATO membership stronger for Ukraine.
Ukraine still won't make it to NATO. Russia is willing to fight a war over this, NATO isn't.
No they aren't. EDIT: They might be willing to attack some eastern parts of Ukraine to try and dissuade them, but it is very unlikely they are willing to do more than that as such a thing very well might provoke a western military response, something Russia's military and economy can ill afford.
I'll put a bet down that by this day next year that Ukraine and NATO have taken concrete steps to ratify their inclusion into NATO. If Russia invades any part of Eastern Ukraine during this time I'll even give you 2-1 odds.
Russian actions here have made NATO expansion and solidification inevitable. If their goal really was to prevent NATO expansion they have simply made a fairly large strategic mistake.
Ukraine's decision to join NATO is based on Russian invasions. I feel like NATO membership is now only a matter of time for Ukraine. They would be fools not to.
By the way, in light of Russia's continuing aggression towards Ukraine have you perhaps revised your opinion of their motives?
You are assuming that Russians won't invade Ukraine to stop NATO. To me, it's now looking like they are getting ready to do exactly that.
Ukraine still won't make it to NATO. Russia is willing to fight a war over this, NATO isn't.
I don't think they are doing it to stop NATO membership at all. I think it is possible that they will try to take some eastern elements of Ukraine (although this is more for integration of Crimea than anything about NATO), but they will be very careful not to provoke the west too far.
Like I said, I'm willing to take a bet and give some favorable odds please let me know.
It's cheaper to build a bridge to Crimea from Russia than to invade Ukraine. I thought it was about Crimea too, but now I think it's all about NATO in Ukraine, and they won't stop until it's off the table.
Russia is not acting like it cares about provoking the West, it's acting like it's getting ready to invade.
How do you know this?
Last time I was in Russia their soldiers were begging on the streets and selling their medals. Are you sure they want to fight a war?