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“We’re an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you’re studying that reality — judiciously, as you will — we’ll act again, creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that’s how things will sort out. We’re history’s actors . . . and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do.”
The Eastern Europeans are in a bad dream that they are not allowed to wake from. 30 years ago they could have went another way but............
Eastern Europeans blame Russia for all these problems and NATO just flies under the radar.
When will they wake up?
America seems to be the country that likes to be all over the globe. I guess we should blame the media for giving America too much media attention...you don't hear about India, China, France or any other country to say anything about Ukraine-Eastern Europe, do you? Despite the fact that all these countries are nuclear powers with huge military and debatable great importance in the near future.
Putin obviously wants to at least control the countries of the former USSR, and before that; The Russian Empire. Even the Baltic nations are concerned.
Ukraine has always been divided. Some Ukrainians have faith in Russian rule. This can be ethnic, geographic or for other reasons. Those regions include Eastern Ukraine and Crimea.
Other Ukrainians feel more of a kinship with the West. They tend to be from the Western part of the country, in cities such as Lviv. Many of these Ukrainians are Catholic as opposed to Orthodox. They relate more to Poland than to Russia.
Many Ukrainians are somewhere in between. They do not welcome a Russian invasion, yet they wonder if it would be any worse than what they have right now.
Many also distrust the West, including the USA. No one "protected" Crimea from Russian annexation. They know people, or have relatives who live there, and their lives were not changed by the Russian annexation.
Some Ukrainians have always been prone to Russian propaganda. This is nothing new.
Putin obviously wants to at least control the countries of the former USSR, and before that; The Russian Empire. Even the Baltic nations are concerned.
Ukraine has always been divided. Some Ukrainians have faith in Russian rule. This can be ethnic, geographic or for other reasons. Those regions include Eastern Ukraine and Crimea.
Other Ukrainians feel more of a kinship with the West. They tend to be from the Western part of the country, in cities such as Lviv. Many of these Ukrainians are Catholic as opposed to Orthodox. They relate more to Poland than to Russia.
Many Ukrainians are somewhere in between. They do not welcome a Russian invasion, yet they wonder if it would be any worse than what they have right now.
Many also distrust the West, including the USA. No one "protected" Crimea from Russian annexation. They know people, or have relatives who live there, and their lives were not changed by the Russian annexation.
Some Ukrainians have always been prone to Russian propaganda. This is nothing new.
I agree with Sheena12.
Just wanted to add:
Pre-WWI - (1772 to 1914), Ukraine was a province in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
After WWI - (1918), it was divided among four states. Bukovina was annexed to Romania. Transcarpathia was joined to the new country of Czechoslovakia. Poland incorporated Galicia and western Volhynia, together with smaller adjacent areas in the northwest. The lands east of the Polish border constituted Soviet Ukraine.
After WWII - (1945), it was part of the Soviet Union until 1990.
In 1954 - The Crimean Oblast was included in Ukraine. This decision was so random, it will always puzzle me.
We aren't talking about cohesive or long-lived nation. Yet, according US news - Russia is taking over some independent country with a long history of self rule and with no cultural ties to Russia. For all the media knows Russia is planning on taking over a county like Spain or France. All Putin wants is no missiles on his doorstep.
Meantime, Poland is taking in Ukrainian refugees than other country.
I had no idea Finland and Sweden aren't in nato but I'm pleasantly surprised they have some independence and self-esteem and what not not to play the game of America. Which is what Poland, Romania and other (all??) eastern european countries are dumb enough to do. Well ok excluding Serbia.
Finland and Sweden would eventually join NATO if Russia keeps testing their limits. Russia being a diabolical piece of **** is all the singing endorsement NATO needs.
Probably sanctions and endless speeches about supporting democracy, freedom, or whatever feel good term they can insert. NATO has a tier structure. Unless the top tier nations are attacked (North and West Europe), then military action is off the table. Since the last round of sanctions didn't accomplish their stated objectives, the latest round will likely be more stringent, though Russians have taken actions to lessen the severity such as reducing their foreign debt, increasing their currency exchange, and decreasing dependence on the U.S. dollar. I'm sure China would pick up some of the economic slack, just like with Iran. Years will go by and eventually people will forget or just not care anymore.
The one wildcard is the United States. Doing nothing with Ukraine, after doing nothing about Hong Kong, and leaving Afghanistan is not a good look for foreign power projection. This may cause Biden to take more extreme measures, such as kicking them off SWIFT. Such actions could backfire with many European countries being highly dependent on Russian resources. Alternatives while available are not cheap and will hammer their economies. Also, Russia isn't the type of country to back down. They will hit back. Should be interesting to see what happens. At the end of the day I pray for peace.
Hong Kong?? What business has the US got to do with Hong Kong?
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