[liuliu]

> I think they could argue for greater security architecture (i.e. part of NATO but no nukes) to prevent repeat. But otherwise I can appreciate why the current administration is where its at.

The current administration is redundantly clear that it won't allow Ukraine to join NATO to avoid antagonize Russia.

[Muromec]

Well, it's either NATO or nukes, the man himself said it.

[oezi]

Why do they empower a war lord such as Putin? In what universe should the US care about if they offend Russia? Will they put Iran over Israel next?

[liuliu]

Maybe they don't view him as a warlord but ideologically aligned friend.

Israel is a conservative Jewish state which is more ideologically aligned with current administration than a Islamic state.

[nrawe]

Yeah, I think they'll fold on that point, too, but the main stumbling block for Ukraine is that Russian guarantees mean little in a post-2021 invasion context given they made the same overtures after 2014.

The idea of the entire country becoming a DMZ just smacks of Putin lining up the next play and a Russian-leaning leader put in Zelenskis place.