The European framework is each nations stays within its borders, period. And each, for the most part, has since WWII.
But he wants more, he wants to be an imperialist power where Russia is a Federation of Nations under the Kremlin's control. That's been his view from the beginning, that the Soviet Union should have never split up.
Until Ukraine, the West has allowed him to abuse that understanding. It's human nature to be accommodating. Especially if that other person can do things for you (like supply gas and oil) without being a direct competitor.
All European nations face the same issues they faced in the world wars. None are self-sufficient--like the U.S. Germany has the manufacturing power and Russia the resources.
Putin's regime isn't going to fight Germany directly (as Germany isn't going to fight Russia directly) so Putin looks to expand Russia's power by taking back what was unfairly taken from Russia (in his opinion).
You keep writing that I'm brainwashed into believing Russia kills everything in its path? It has nothing to do with propaganda. It's what I see in visual and written evidence. I never said it was "bad". That's a different question. And I understand why Putin tried to take back Ukraine. Good or bad isn't the question here.
If you keep calling someone brainwashed you should do some introspection.
Putin failed here, IMO, because his regime is too old, self-absorbed and corrupt. NATO is no real security threat to Russia--which has proven out this past year. People who trot out the NATO card are repeating propaganda to me.
Putin made a big, final push, to reconstitute Russia's power. Much of what he predicted about Western hypocrisy and weakness came to pass. Even the U.S. predicted he's get his way. So why didn't the regime succeed?
What Putin didn't factor in is the Russian power he thought he had, he didn't have. The money he believed went into the military and towards Ukrainian influence, never got there. It's a problem for all nations! He also underestimated the strength of young people (in Ukraine) to defend their shit.
The regime is failing because it's failing. Propaganda or not, follow your own logic. Is Russia more secure or less secure, a year later?
Russia is being lead into the ground by old men who spout ridiculous nonsense. They blame everything on what happened in the past. NATO this, NATO that. Ukrainian shells Donbas, etc. Excuses, excuses.
A year of humiliations on the battlefield, hundreds of thousands of Russian dead or injured and yet he can't even give one reason why that will change in his latest speech?
The longer it goes on the worse for every Russian who isn't part of the regime. News flash. No one cares how many Russians die at this point. And I find that very sad because I do agree with you that everyone is to blame.
