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THE UKRAINE WAR

I do agree with a widely-held view that the United States and its NATO allies played a crucial role in the events that led to the Ukraine war—and are now playing a central role in the conduct of that war too. But I refuse to buy the argument that United States pushed forward policies toward Ukraine that Putin and his colleagues saw as an existential threat to their country—a point they have made repeatedly for many years. Talking about about America’s obsession with bringing Ukraine into NATO and making it a Western bulwark on Russia’s border, I would that is an imaginary burden on the mind of Putin of the KGB! The world has moved far away from such a scenario of the Cold War years! 

NATO exists not because of any security threat, but because the US pays for its keep. Though Biden administration recommitted itself to bringing Ukraine into NATO in 2021, it was not a big enough reason for Putin to invade Ukraine on February 24th, 2022., much like a regional bully! Russia is a huge power compared to Ukraine which doesn’t even have any nuclear arms to use as any serious deterrent in times of annexation of its land! Putin knows that his nuclear arsenal and delivery mechanisms are too real and fierce for the NATO go for an all-out war! Natural bullies have a great advantage when they also happen to be nuclear powers! 

Ukraine, for all its bravery and nationalism is squeezed between a rock and head place right now! Like the rest of the world, I too believe that Putin will unilaterally end the war after conquering a large swath of territory in eastern and southern Ukraine, as if only to make a point!

Given Putin’s purported goals, it makes perfect sense for Finland and Sweden to join NATO and for the alliance to increase its force levels in Eastern Europe. After all, Imperial Russia must be contained! 

I have read somewhere Putin calling the collapse of the Soviet Union “the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century” and adding, notably that Whoever does not miss the Soviet Union has no heart. Whoever wants it back has no brain.” 
I always liked the guy and had even personally messages on X addressing him “Brother Putin”!

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