Meanwhile Russia is threatening military action if Finland joins NATO: https://ria.ru/20220225/nato-1775114040.html
"Now Czechia, or we'll nuke you."
There comes a point where that bluff has to be called, and we're approaching it.
Then tell them they can do whatever they want with little response. Has the EU drawn up a surrender treaty yet?
According to reports, only a third of the force deployed around Ukraine are actually in Ukraine.[1] So, about 50-60,000. So, there are as many Russian troops currently deployed in Ukraine as US troops currently stationed in Japan, give or take a few thousand.[2]
[1] Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine Is Just Beginning (https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/02/25/russia-invasion-ukraine...)
[2] United States Forces Japan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Forces_Japan)
5-15% of their Army is locked up, and by all accounts, they did not deploy their newer and more expensive tanks, airforce, and equipment.
Clearly we’ll let you into NATO es the bluff.
"We'll leave you alone if you promise never to join NATO" is the bluff, and it's been proven to be a lie this month.
It didn’t, but it intended to: "In June 2017, the Ukrainian Parliament adopted legislation reinstating membership in NATO as a strategic foreign and security policy objective. In 2019, a corresponding amendment to Ukraine’s Constitution entered into force." [1]
Ukraine, as a sovereign nation, has every right to desire entry into NATO.
Russia, on the other hand, is in clear and direct violation of their own agreements, where Ukraine gave up nukes in exchange for permanent security guarantees against exactly what's happening now. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapest_Memorandum_on_Securit...
This is a very short range view of history. Ukraine tried to get into NATO in 2008, but was put on the back burner. Anti-NATO government came to power in 2010, and overthrown in 2014 by Pro-NATO Poroshenko, directly leading to the annexation. Since then Ukraine has steadily drawn closer to joining NATO up until the current situation.
Ukraine has every right to do that. They're a sovereign nation, not a Russian province. Russia has no more standing to demand they stay out of NATO than they have the right to dictate the speed limit in Kiyv.
Sure, I totally agree. They are free to make their own decisions. NATO countries are also free to make their own decisions, and I wish that they would close the NATO door to Ukraine. I have no interest in the US and NATO being the world police.
Suppose my neighbor is a thug. A gang member. And he doesn’t like me. I have every right to date his little sister. We’re all free adults. My intentions are constitutional! What could go wrong? If he threatens me, I’ll just tell the police, because he has no right. What could go wrong?
There’s the way you wish things were, and the way things are. I understand the desire to make things how they ought to be. But in the meantime, there is sometimes a gulf between theory and practice.