Putin's invasion was a direct response to NATO wanting to set up shop 300 miles from Moscow on the Ukrainian border.
You would have done the same thing if you were seeking to protect the country you lead.
Not saying Putin is a saint - but he was pushed into action by the threat matrix.
“Putin’s invasion was a direct response to NATO wanting to set up shop 300 miles from Moscow on the Ukrainian border.”
B.S. “NATO” is less than 300 miles from Russian borders, in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, all much smaller than Ukraine, and all much easier for Putin to take if/when he wants.
But the NATO missions in those three states are all defensive - air patrol, demonstrate no threat to Russia and Russia even has a seat at NATO where NATO’s defensive posture in the former Soviet states is openlu discussed.
No, taking Ukraine is not about NATO, it’s about Putin seeking to rebuild the former Soviet and Russian Czarist empire, piece by piece. He will not be satisfied with Ukraine. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Moldava will be next. Then he will will keeping adding to his demands that even Poland and other former Soviet states have no right to belong to NATO.
Putin has started WWIII, the west is just late to admitting it.