Turkey Drops Opposition to Sweden and Finland Joining NATO

[NJROTC-CC]

I am hoping that this will give NATO and the EU even more leverage to force Putin to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. But who knows. It might even have the opposite result.

 

[Impulsive]

In an event it changes the matrix of the entire European Area, Russia can be basically blockaded if needed if they join. When is the "CRAZY MAN" going to realize he has made a grave error? Negotiations in the very beginning, BEFORE any military action may well have given Russia the sense of security they are looking for. Now with Sweden and Finland joining, Russia is going to bordered by NATO nations on almost their whole Northwestern Border.

 

[Day-Tripper]

In an event it changes the matrix of the entire European Area, Russia can be basically blockaded if needed if they join. When is the "CRAZY MAN" going to realize he has made a grave error? Negotiations in the very beginning, BEFORE any military action may well have given Russia the sense of security they are looking for. Now with Sweden and Finland joining, Russia is going to bordered by NATO nations on almost their whole Northwestern Border.

Unfortunately, history abounds with powerful leaders imaging that a short, victorious war is in the horizon and nothing could possibly go bad. And, if it does go bad, it's not their fault.

Putin should have remembered not just The Great Patriotic War but also the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, the Finland War of 1939-1940, the Afghan War of 1979-1989, etc.

After all, how many nation's have initiated successful wars in the last 70 or so years? Israel, of course, in 1967. USA vs. Iraq in 1990-1991. That's about it, though. The agressor almost always loses.

Putin would best agree to a negotiated settlement where Russia gets formal recognition over Crimea, Donetsk & Luhansk & the West eases it's economic sanctions. He could a victory parade in Moscow & Russia would breath a sigh of relief. Oligarchs could vacation again in London, the Riviera & Miami.

But I doubt it'll happen.

 

[UHBlackhawk]

The thing is, NATO had nothing to do with this invasion. Getting NATO to agree on anything prior to February 2022 was like herding cats. NATO is just a boogie man used by Putin for domestic consumption.
The war was really about getting control of Ukrainian oil and gas production and agriculture production. In addition, while Ukraine was hardly a perfect country politically (which country is), it was slowly moving toward a functional democracy with rule of law. Putin could NOT tolerate that on his border.
Many forget that South Korea was not a true democracy until the late 1980s and still suffers from corruption.

 

[cb7893]

In addition, while Ukraine was hardly a perfect country politically (which country is), it was slowly moving toward a functional democracy with rule of law. Putin could NOT tolerate that on his border.

^^^^This. Nothing but this^^^^
All of the nations of E. E. have spoken.They do not want a Russian model of governance, courts and media. And they absolutely do not want a Russian model of economic development based on a rent seeking oligarchy. From Estonia to Bulgaria, the people have chosen Western liberal democracy, largely successfully. The Ukrainians are simply asking why can’t we?

Putin’s answer, “Since Ukraine is an artificial construct and you are really Russians, you don’t get a choice.”