Something about his inflated ego, courtesy of the docility of the majority of Russians who have tolerated his repressive rule.
The man has mobilized large numbers of soldiers and war materiel.
If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it’s a duck.
Putin has been further emboldened by the divisiveness he sees in the West, notably Germany and now Macron in France talking about the EU needing to formulate their own strategy, separate from the one of the alliance with the US.
An invasion of Ukraine would be a serious blow to the Free World. A country which has been urgently asking to join us in the West, being trampled on by a thug.
So far, about 14000 Ukrainians have died over the last few years in the Eastern section, as separatists supported by Putin challenge the democratically elected government in Kyiv.
But Russia wants more, regardless of the cost. They want the whole of the Ukraine. The annexation of Crimea in 2014 was not enough.
Putin believes he needs a war to ensure Russia’s security, but no one is threatening Russia. We, in the West, have plenty of problems to solve. Anyway, all they have is oil and gas but that can be had from elsewhere. The security crisis Putin speaks of is entirely his invention.
The US-EU alliance should not give in an inch to Russia.
And NATO should keep open the option for Ukraine and any other former Soviet nation to join them.
Any concession to Putin under threat of invasion is bad news. It would be read by the rest of the world, and China, as a sign of weakness.
We can’t afford it. Not now, not ever.
There are a lot of highly capable men and women presently strategizing how the West should proceed, but from a citizen’s point of view, it makes sense to put troops and materiel on the border with Russia. If you threaten us, we will respond.
And keep the troops there until he backs off, otherwise he’ll bring troops back and then we have to send them in again, making the West feel like a yo-yo.
The fact that Europe grew so dependent on Russia for their energy needs, i.e natural gas, speaks of a horrendous lack of foresight. Somehow, the EU did not factor in that a regime where a dictator has the boot on the throat of his people, with dissidents in jail or murdered, is likely to think they can push others around.
Putin’s repeated abuses in Ukraine were not given the importance they required. And because of it the current crisis has occurred.
Putin wants war. The West needs to act like it’s ready.
Blunt talk from our leaders is essential. We need to know where we stand.
I read that in Ukraine, president Zelensky is choosing to say to his people that things will be okay. To be patient. I disagree. Ukrainians need to hear the truth. Just like we do.
Oscar Valdes. Oscarvaldes.net. apple and google podcasts, anchor.fm and buzzsprout
