Originally Posted by
Prunus Dessicata
It's an unfortunate time for NATO to be rattling the bars on Russia's cage by further expanding the relentless Eastward expansion all the way to the very doorstep of what the Russian people regard as their Rodina.
They know what happens when a hostile armed Power does that and they know the consequences to themselves in terms of blood sacrifice. For us, the German and French invasions seem like ancient history. For the Russian people, not so.
Timing this announcement to coincide with Russia's Victory Day was not mere happenstance. It's a deliberate provocation. NATO is like a gangster prodding a victim in the chest and yelling 'Wanna fight?'
Threatening to subsume Ukraine into NATO was bad enough. It provoked Russia into an insane military adventure. Shoving NATO's border right up to Russia's Eastern flank in Finland cannot possibly have a good outcome. Norway has a tiny border with Russia. Finland's border is huge.
You can not always choose your timing. And events often dictate policy.
While I support the policy, if it is not backed up by military strength, it is meaningless.
If you are going to talk tough, you need to be able to be tough. And given all the other competing needs of the UK, defense has to be given a priority.
I would also hope that the UK will not be an outlier on this.