Russia invaded Crimea e days after the start of the Maidan Revolution, a coup of an alerted president supported by the Obama administration. Lilia is right, our hands are not clean in this and we have used Ukraine's admission to NATO, and the EU, as a club.
Russia invaded Crimea e days after the start of the Maidan Revolution, a coup of an alerted president supported by the Obama administration. Lilia is right, our hands are not clean in this and we have used Ukraine's admission to NATO, and the EU, as a club.
Ukraine was an original member of the USSR a hundred years ago.
After the collapse of the USSR Ukraine declared itself neutral and had alliances with both Russia and European organizations. There is a significant portion of Ukraine that is ethnic Russian and speaks Russian; 17.8% as of 2022 so that percentage would have been higher if the Crimea were included. But Ukraine's history as Russian is much deeper than that dating to around 900 AD as part of the original Rus. So I suppose Putin is not wrong if he thinks of Ukraine as Russian.
Putin came to power in Russia late 1999. He served as President from then until 2008, was Prime Minister from 2008 until 2012, and President from.2012 until the present. If he does not see Ukraine as a legitimate country he waited a long time to do anything about it. Instead he invaded Crimea two days after a "revolution" aided by the US. He moved into Ukraine on the heels of talk about Ukraine joining NATO but also the EU. I have read that the EU connection would have been very damaging to the Russian economy which is not well-diversified.
So Russia had and has far greater interests in Ukraine than does the US nevertheless we have meddled therein since the Clinton administration. People have opined on here today about acting to ensure stable markets (a la colonislism), to engage in a proxy war to see how our weapons hold up (Military-Industrial Complex crack), and to thwart a global takeover by Putin (hysteria), among others. None of which are justified.
Lastly, all of my statements are my beliefs based on what I have read, in other words my opinion. As I am sure are yours.
Techically, the old capital of Russia was Kiev, so it would be more accurate to say Russia used to be part of Ukraine. I don't see Putin willing to step down and put Zelensky in charge of Russia though, so clearly Putin's love of history has its limits.
The reason there are so many Russian speakers in Ukraine is because the original inhabitants were killed in the Holodomor, aka the Ukrainian Genocide. Russians then moved into the newly vacant land.
When Putin took power, he started with Chechnya, then he invaded Georgia, and then Crimea. Ukraine has wanted to join NATO/EU for years because they knew all along an invasion was likely as long as Putin is in charge.
Technically, there was never a nation of Ukraine until very modern times. But this discussion is becoming tedious. You have your opinions. I have mine. We obviously disagree. I do appreciate the civility.
Russia invaded Crimea e days after the start of the Maidan Revolution, a coup of an alerted president supported by the Obama administration. Lilia is right, our hands are not clean in this and we have used Ukraine's admission to NATO, and the EU, as a club.
Supported, yes. Instigated, no. That uprising was already underway; it was a grassroots revolution that the US helped along.
Ukraine sees NATO and the EU as a shield, not a club.
I am neither Russian nor a Putin sympathizer but I would bet Putin sees NATO as a club.
Putin also doesn't see Ukraine as a legitimate country; he sees it as the rightful property of the Kremlin.
Ukraine was an original member of the USSR a hundred years ago.
After the collapse of the USSR Ukraine declared itself neutral and had alliances with both Russia and European organizations. There is a significant portion of Ukraine that is ethnic Russian and speaks Russian; 17.8% as of 2022 so that percentage would have been higher if the Crimea were included. But Ukraine's history as Russian is much deeper than that dating to around 900 AD as part of the original Rus. So I suppose Putin is not wrong if he thinks of Ukraine as Russian.
Putin came to power in Russia late 1999. He served as President from then until 2008, was Prime Minister from 2008 until 2012, and President from.2012 until the present. If he does not see Ukraine as a legitimate country he waited a long time to do anything about it. Instead he invaded Crimea two days after a "revolution" aided by the US. He moved into Ukraine on the heels of talk about Ukraine joining NATO but also the EU. I have read that the EU connection would have been very damaging to the Russian economy which is not well-diversified.
So Russia had and has far greater interests in Ukraine than does the US nevertheless we have meddled therein since the Clinton administration. People have opined on here today about acting to ensure stable markets (a la colonislism), to engage in a proxy war to see how our weapons hold up (Military-Industrial Complex crack), and to thwart a global takeover by Putin (hysteria), among others. None of which are justified.
Lastly, all of my statements are my beliefs based on what I have read, in other words my opinion. As I am sure are yours.
Techically, the old capital of Russia was Kiev, so it would be more accurate to say Russia used to be part of Ukraine. I don't see Putin willing to step down and put Zelensky in charge of Russia though, so clearly Putin's love of history has its limits.
The reason there are so many Russian speakers in Ukraine is because the original inhabitants were killed in the Holodomor, aka the Ukrainian Genocide. Russians then moved into the newly vacant land.
When Putin took power, he started with Chechnya, then he invaded Georgia, and then Crimea. Ukraine has wanted to join NATO/EU for years because they knew all along an invasion was likely as long as Putin is in charge.
Technically, there was never a nation of Ukraine until very modern times. But this discussion is becoming tedious. You have your opinions. I have mine. We obviously disagree. I do appreciate the civility.