How long does Putin have left in office?

[Bilge_Rat]

Originally Posted by Catfish

Yeah right, and NATO hesitated and cared so much about how Russia would think about all surrounding states joining the NATO.

and do you think that if NATO had stopped at the German border, that all would be quiet? Putin has made no secret that he wants to expand Russian influence back to the border of the former USSR. IMHO, without NATO, you would have the same type of "hybrid war" in the Baltic states.

What Russia is doing in the Ukraine (not that the West did anything there? lmao) is a direct consequence.

Ukraine has been a part of Russia for centuries, a majority speak Russian, a large minority are ethnic Russians, up until last year, Russia was their main trading partner. So why is it that a majority of Ukrainians want to join NATO and the EU? IMHO it has a lot more to do with Russian actions and intentions than anything the West may have done.

Regarding the former eastern block i could maybe understand Finnland, but when i see what happens in Poland politically, and how nationalistic the new government is, i am more frightened of them, than of Russia.

Poland does not invade its neighbours.