[BobL]

“They never have liked Putin or the political system there but say things have gotten so out of hand here that they have not ruled out moving back.”

Wow, but yeah I can see their interest in going back. I was just watching a video that just asked a simple question that Russia will likely have to answer. Basically it will go like this:

You know that little Ukraine war, heh heh, well we were just kidding, so would you mind ignoring that little thing and go back to selling us cheap oil, cheap gas, and cheap food and fertilizer, so we don’t freeze and starve this winter, heh heh? Please?

How does Russia respond?

His guess is that Europe will have to cut its ties with the US - meaning no more NATO - send the Americans and their toys and their nukes, back home. They don’t need this crap from the US anymore.

...and just like that, we are reduced from being king of the world, to just a regional power, strong enough to take on Canada and Mexico (maybe even at the same time), but that’s it. Nice job, NEOCONS.

[fireman15]

The Russians who are living in my grandmother's house like so many recent “immigrants” came to the United States to experience a more affluent lifestyle. Their children have successfully assimilated into our society, but the wife especially has never mixed with people outside of the Russian community here. She has always wanted to go back. The craziness since the last election has had them both thinking about staying the next time they are able to get back.

It has little to do with Ukraine, things have become much more prosperous since they left Russia decades ago, and these last few months have not reversed the trend. If anything all the money that we are contributing to their economy through high energy costs etc... is improving things even more... even if certain items are in short supply.