[OrvalWintermute]

> Moscow is actively demonstrating that they are that regional power, and Washington is not.

The Russians are willing to go incredibly far to protect their borders from NATO. Because they lack our equivalent situational awareness around missiles, there is a definite logic to their actions.

> The real root cause is that the leadership of Washington thinks this exact same way, and this is a contradiction. Only Ukraine is in Moscow's front yard, not Washington's, and has a lot of ethnically Russian people. The case for Ukraine being in Moscow's sphere of influence is far stronger than it being in Washington's.

Excellent point. I've been amazed how completely Russian the East of Ukraine is.

Just like we protect Mexico & Canada, and we have the Monroe Doctrine around Old European Powers playing in the Western Hemisphere, so also, do other great powers have an obligation to protect their turf. It doesn't mean we have to agree with it. We were willing to blockade Cuba to get our Russian missiles. And yet, our Mainstream Media and Political Class is beating the War Drum to further escalate the situation.

[lalaland1125]

> The Russians are willing to go incredibly far to protect their borders from NATO.

Then it seems like Russia has made all the wrong decisions here. Even after Yanukovych was kicked out of power, the successor government had no interest in NATO until Russia invaded eastern Ukraine in 2014.

Similarly, Finland and Sweden had almost zero interest in NATO until Russia did their full invasion of Ukraine this year.

Russia's actions simply make no sense under the theory that Russia is trying to protect their borders from NATO.

[lazide]

It does if you think like an abusive spouse. ‘Stop looking at the neighbor or I’ll beat you silly’ kinda looks like it works and all, until they sneak away anyway.

[DeathArrow]

>Then it seems like Russia has made all the wrong decisions here. Even after Yanukovych was kicked out of power, the successor government had no interest in NATO until Russia invaded eastern Ukraine in 2014.

Ucraine applied to NATO in 2008.

[hnov]

Technically, Yanukovych was removed 2 days after the Russian invasion started.

[melony]

Careful, you will get downvoted and flagged if you bring up Realpolitik and international relations on HN. Many idealistic people here get real sensitive about subjects that do not conform to their narrow world view.