[allendoerfer]

I am always baffled by people talking about the big European powers of the past going on to derive some sort of claim over other present day people. Of course it makes it easier to think about the Germans vs. the Russians on a chess board, that is Eastern Europe. But there are people living there right now and Russians have no business whatsever to claim anything or assert any influence there. They can make offers, it is just that other offers (NATO, EU) are better. They have to accept that. If countries decide to invite the US to help, then it is absolutely OK for the US to help, no matter how close that country might be to Russia.

Fortunately we are not glorifying WWII Germany, even though we could (moon landing, etc.) and by extension also WWI Germany (even though the whole guilt here is highly debatable). Stalin Russia should get the exact same treatment. And while we are at it, we can also put the US in there (e.g. for what they did to Japan). All emperors should reside in the same bucket: They are all essentially a bunch of war criminals invading other peoples countries. We can look at positive second degree outcomes, but should not forget the cruelty of war.