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Thank you for clearly articulating your position.
My judgement does not land there, because I think all politicians, including Putin, are guilty until proven otherwise of being totally motivated by power.
The problem geopolitically (i.e., relative to geography) is that there are no defensible, natural barriers (like mountains or major river) between Russia and Germany (or NATO); therefor, both sides want lots or territory to create a buffer for national security.
The results have been for the last 100 years that neither side is ever satisfied.
According to Oliver Stone, the USSR wanted friendly relations with the U.S. after fighting as allies in WWII, but instead there was the Cold War. Admittedly, if there was ever anything to Stone's idea that the two could have been friends, then the argument is so much stronger now that the USSR is gone along with the Russian flavor of communism.
BTW, Neither NATO nor the U.S. were parties to the Minsk protocols, which were an effort in 2014 and 2015 to stop the fighting in Donetsk. Moreover, according to the Moscow Times, the sides have never agreed as to the meaning of Minsk I or Minsk II
Rusdia’s security can be measured by which river is on the western border. Russia is relatively defensible when the frontier is on the Nieman(Poland), better on the Oder(Germany), and Russia is in great shape when the border is on the Elbe(East/West Germany). If the frontier ends up being on the Don or Donets in Ukraine, then Russia is in trouble, which is why both sides want to control the region.
This is a good place to park these videos.
This was the day before the Special Military Operation - invasion of Ukraine, 55 minutes.
Vladimir Putin’s Speech on Ukraine, and Recognition of Donbass - Feb 21 2022 - English Subtitles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5-ZdTGLmZo
Oliver Stone’s videos, I guess both are his, haven’t watched lately.
Ukraine on Fire
Ukraine. Across its eastern border is Russia and to its west-Europe. For centuries, it has been at the center of a tug-of-war between powers seeking to control its rich lands and access to the Black Sea. 2014’s Maidan Massacre triggered a bloody uprising that ousted president Viktor Yanukovych and painted Russia as the perpetrator by Western media. But was it? “Ukraine on Fire” by Igor Lopatonok..
Https://rumble.com/vwxxi8-ukraine-on-fire.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKcmNGvaDUs
Part two:
Revealing Ukraine. This is why they want to hide their actions over the years.
https://rumble.com/vwy6pm-revealing-ukraine.html