> What isn't disputed is that George W. Bush opened the door to Ukraine joining NATO [2]. Now this was never going to happen. Germany (for one) would veto it. Having NATO on the border with Russia is a recipe for disaster.
It will happen. It is inevitable. That Russia has lost the war against Ukraine has been obvious for some time, and sooner or later the war will end with the frontlines remaining roughly where they are now, if not farther east. After that, NATO membership for Ukraine will be one of the few realistic options to prevent renewed Russian aggression.
As for the claim of "NATO on Russia's doorstep", a former Russian foreign minister has for decades described NATO as an organization that offers free security to Russia. This is because NATO binds its members together and stabilizes each individual country. This dynamic is evident in the current support for Ukraine: NATO countries consult extensively with one another before making decisions, because poorly thought out initiatives could endanger all allies. As a result, their actions are proportional, measured and clearly communicated well in advance. For a country allegedly concerned about its security, such neighbors would be a godsend.
But the truth is that NATO and other forms of international cooperation turns invasions of neighboring countries from winnable small wars into unwinnable quagmires, and that's what truly bothers the Russians. Foreign support has turned Russia's war against Ukraine into one of the greatest failures in Russian military history. In a month or two, the casualties will exceed one million, with very little to show for it.
It will happen. It is inevitable. That Russia has lost the war against Ukraine has been obvious for some time, and sooner or later the war will end with the frontlines remaining roughly where they are now, if not farther east. After that, NATO membership for Ukraine will be one of the few realistic options to prevent renewed Russian aggression.
As for the claim of "NATO on Russia's doorstep", a former Russian foreign minister has for decades described NATO as an organization that offers free security to Russia. This is because NATO binds its members together and stabilizes each individual country. This dynamic is evident in the current support for Ukraine: NATO countries consult extensively with one another before making decisions, because poorly thought out initiatives could endanger all allies. As a result, their actions are proportional, measured and clearly communicated well in advance. For a country allegedly concerned about its security, such neighbors would be a godsend.
But the truth is that NATO and other forms of international cooperation turns invasions of neighboring countries from winnable small wars into unwinnable quagmires, and that's what truly bothers the Russians. Foreign support has turned Russia's war against Ukraine into one of the greatest failures in Russian military history. In a month or two, the casualties will exceed one million, with very little to show for it.