Originally Posted by
West Coast
Yours and Nigel’s post ignores the former satellites right of determination wrt allies. Let the Russians hold an opinion and paranoia. It complements their neighbors concerns.
A good point, I agree. Not sure how to square the right to self determination with Russian anxiety of history. Ukraine is the 'land-sea' though, that has to be crossed to get to Moscow. And whose logistics scuppered Napoleon and Hitler. I suspect the deafening silence (about the build up on Ukrainian borders) from the West, and reluctance to bring Ukraine into the NATO fold, is acknowledgement that Western military intervention could rapidly escalate into full blown war. Whilst SD is a right, and many ex Soviet bloc countries have indeed joined NATO, I think it behoves the Ukraine - and NATO countries - to not poke the bear...
PS had no idea my post here would generate so much comment, had no intent to hijack the thread.