Since the breakup of the soviet union, Russia has invaded two nations: Georgia and the Ukraine. It invaded both for the same reason: they attempted to align themselves politically with the West and join NATO.
NATO was not founded to oppose Russian aggression. It was founded to oppose the Soviet Union. After Russia abandoned Communism, they petitioned to join NATO and the Western bloc in general. They were rejected by the West and all current hostilities stem from that rejection - Russia believed full reproachment under mutual anti-Communism was possible with the West but the West preferred their full economic subjugation.
Belarus and North Korea have been a more or less steadfast Russian allies and has never been threatened with invasion. Kazakhstan and Mongolia have maintained relatively independent political positions (playing both sides) and have never been targets of invasion. Azerbaijan has strong ties with Turkey, a NATO country, but has never attempted to join NATO itself and has friendly relations with Russia.
A NATO that includes Ukraine but not Russia is as untenable a situation as Canada having Chinese military bases lining the American border. If Canada was considering such a deal, America would invade immediately. The same would apply to Ireland hosting the Russians against the UK, or Mexico hosting the Iranians, whatever. Local rivalries are all fun and games until you start involving world power blocs. There is a reason why, despite tensions, nations like Sweden, Ireland, Canada, and Mexico do not host foreign troops; and why instances where this is threatened (the Troubles, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Russo-Georgian war of 08) the result is always proactive invasion.
Latvia, Estonia and now Finland are all NATO and all border Russia. So I suppose they have it coming too huh? How dare they unite against a totalitarian aggressor.
Yes, and their membership in NATO was a major sticking point - if not for the Ukraine war, I think we would have seen a Russian invasion of Finland when they announced their intention to join NATO. Throughout the Cold War Finland managed to remain a neutral power and was never invaded by Soviets. They should have remained that way. Their membership in NATO will continue to be a source of regional tension well after the end of the Ukraine conflict.
if you push that timeline back slightly, they were invaded by the soviets during wwII and lost territory, which to this day they have not regained. Why should they trust Russia now, when they have clearly not abandoned their imperial ambitions.
The source of regional tension is imperialist Russia.
Ukw I don't even argue with you people on ideological basis because the very foundational assumption on which you base all your arguments is so infantile in its complexity that it doesn't even deserve to be addressed.
Materially, Russia's victory is objectively inevitable, short of WW3, because the West has run out of weapons to give to Ukraine, and Ukraine is going to run out of people sooner or later. Meanwhile Ukraine's own officials are saying Russia's production is going up because the corruption in the military has been getting rooted out as the war becomes increasingly more important for Russia.
explicitly opposes their interests... like invading neighboring nations. so they invaded before Ukraine could join the anti-invasion club.
Since the breakup of the soviet union, Russia has invaded two nations: Georgia and the Ukraine. It invaded both for the same reason: they attempted to align themselves politically with the West and join NATO.
NATO was not founded to oppose Russian aggression. It was founded to oppose the Soviet Union. After Russia abandoned Communism, they petitioned to join NATO and the Western bloc in general. They were rejected by the West and all current hostilities stem from that rejection - Russia believed full reproachment under mutual anti-Communism was possible with the West but the West preferred their full economic subjugation.
Belarus and North Korea have been a more or less steadfast Russian allies and has never been threatened with invasion. Kazakhstan and Mongolia have maintained relatively independent political positions (playing both sides) and have never been targets of invasion. Azerbaijan has strong ties with Turkey, a NATO country, but has never attempted to join NATO itself and has friendly relations with Russia.
A NATO that includes Ukraine but not Russia is as untenable a situation as Canada having Chinese military bases lining the American border. If Canada was considering such a deal, America would invade immediately. The same would apply to Ireland hosting the Russians against the UK, or Mexico hosting the Iranians, whatever. Local rivalries are all fun and games until you start involving world power blocs. There is a reason why, despite tensions, nations like Sweden, Ireland, Canada, and Mexico do not host foreign troops; and why instances where this is threatened (the Troubles, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Russo-Georgian war of 08) the result is always proactive invasion.
Latvia, Estonia and now Finland are all NATO and all border Russia. So I suppose they have it coming too huh? How dare they unite against a totalitarian aggressor.
Yes, and their membership in NATO was a major sticking point - if not for the Ukraine war, I think we would have seen a Russian invasion of Finland when they announced their intention to join NATO. Throughout the Cold War Finland managed to remain a neutral power and was never invaded by Soviets. They should have remained that way. Their membership in NATO will continue to be a source of regional tension well after the end of the Ukraine conflict.
if you push that timeline back slightly, they were invaded by the soviets during wwII and lost territory, which to this day they have not regained. Why should they trust Russia now, when they have clearly not abandoned their imperial ambitions.
The source of regional tension is imperialist Russia.
The "anti invasion club" that has only ever fought offensive wars
Ukw I don't even argue with you people on ideological basis because the very foundational assumption on which you base all your arguments is so infantile in its complexity that it doesn't even deserve to be addressed.
Materially, Russia's victory is objectively inevitable, short of WW3, because the West has run out of weapons to give to Ukraine, and Ukraine is going to run out of people sooner or later. Meanwhile Ukraine's own officials are saying Russia's production is going up because the corruption in the military has been getting rooted out as the war becomes increasingly more important for Russia.