Quote (Djunior @ Feb 24 2022 05:21pm)
I can see this conflict from both sides, which apparently many cannot.
This isn't a single sided conflict, both the West and the Russians have blame. However, after the fall of the USSR there was a massive opportunity to build a new security agreement that would respect both sides.
It never happened and in fact the West saw itself as winner of the cold war and Russia fell into chaos in the 1990s, economic and military collapse, crime skyrocketed. Putin stood up determined to fix it.
It's simply a missed opportunity and now we're dealing with the effects.
Perhaps you should watch this, I posted it before, it's a proper lecture by John Mearsheimer from Chicago University. This is 2015 btw ;)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrMiSQAGOS4
For the last couple of years Ukraine is doing it's best to work for their future. According to statistics there is 1.2 mln legal immigrants in Poland itself. Who knows how many of them are not in the records.
All of these immigrants and people working in Ukraine have done a far better job than Putin did in Russia for the last 30 years in terms of life quality improvement. And this is because they finally leaned towards the West. They saw opportunities and they seized them.
Meanwhile Putin created worst social and wealth disparities Russia has ever seen. I have a feeling that the only thing that russian people have in common is a wet dream of a long lost imperial power.
Regarding the poor division of Ukraine and political differences that is somehow giving Russia the legitimacy to invade - the only reason for this situation is because of holodomor and relocation of people due to collectivisation. All of these things were caused by Russia in the first place. Their actions left a footprint on Ukraine's today political scene, their influence in Ukraine is so strong because of this and it's their responsibility.
Maybe I am biased. But as a citizen of a country that was an involuntary 'very close friend' of Russia (which of we're still suffering from) I just can't get rid of the impression that they don't give a damn obout security.
Thanks for the lecture, I'll give it a shot later in the evening