........”I’d like to see Russia brought into the west.”
I would too. Met wonderful Russian people when I lived in San Francisco. Nice little Russian restaurants ranging from cheap little delis to the Russian Renaissance, best and most expensive food in town. Worth it too. Took kids there for birthday celebrations. A few wealthy women got out with their jewels through Vladivostok, land spent a lot of money starting the San Francisco Ballet School.
Plus, I’ve traveled a lot but still want to see beautiful St. Petersburg where Peter te Great built a beautiful city and a fabulous museum full of priceless paintings.
If I were 20 years younger and the relations between the US and Russia were better, there’s a great trip I would like to take. Start at St Petersburg, take the train to Moscow, and then take the Trans Siberian Express from Moscow to Vladivostok. From there maybe catch a cruise ship and go home to Alaska.