[morgante]

I don't think anyone claims Russia or China are democratic. Nor are we planning to add them to the EU or NATO anytime soon.

[hx87]

Democracy and levels of state repression being orthogonal notwithstanding, not being democratic (or a EU/NATO candidate) does not imply that a state is totalitarian.

[rjbwork]

> Nor are we planning to add them to the EU or NATO anytime soon.

Well, neither is on the North Atlantic or in Europe.

Okay well, Russia sort of is, but...

[morgante]

Russia has just as much claim to being European as Turkey does.

[venomsnake]

Sort of? European Russia with Ukraine and Belarus is almost as big as the rest of europe combined