Lavrov and Putin are both war mongering assholes. The audacity of these jack-asses to make claim that Ukraine defending itself and NATO supporting Ukraine's defense is considered ESCALATING the war against Russia. Absolute hilarity!
What results from this madness other than getting more Ukranian things destroyed, getting more Ukrainians dead, and quite possibly seeing the demise of Ukraine as a nation state?
We were holy, right as rain,
They started it was the refrain,
Putin bad, no just insane,
Doesn't matter, here lies Ukraine.
DPR and LPR declared independence nearly a decade ago. They have maintained an independent government ever since. Russia recognized their independence in 2022. Subsequently, Russia entered into mutual defense agreements with both, obligating it to come to the defense of DPR or LPR upon any act of aggression. Russia entered the conflict pursuant to the mutual defense agreements providing assistance to DPR and LPR. Crimea declared independence nearly a decade ago and was recognized and annexed by Russia at that time. Ukraine has made no attempt to govern it since. Russia termed their participation as a Special Operation as their participation in assistance to DPR and LPR. Using NATO-provided long range missiles to attack Crimea or Moscow could cause an escalation to a full blown international conflict with Russia, bringing forth the full might of the Russian military. Currently, only a fraction of that military power is being employed. Russia is not treating the conflict as a war against Russia. That is subject to change. Escalating from a conflict with DPR/LPR assisted by Russia, to a direct international war with Russia is the relevant escalation.
Before Putin invaded Ukraine, Ukraine's south-eastern cities were clean, modern, classical and beautiful in architecture and culture. It's Black-Sea beaches and parks were picturesque and bustling with Ukraine people swimming, walking and vacationing. Ukraine threatened no one.
Before independence, Ukraine had the second best economy among the Soviet republics. From independence to commencement of the Special Operation, Ukraine had sunk to the second lowest per capita income in all of Europe, leading Moldova slightly, and with those bottom two significantly trailing third from the bottom. Ukraine will emerge from the conflict as an economic basket case being unable to support itself. Most of its former economy was located in its Russian speaking area.
While racing to the bottom economically, it rose to the top at corruption. It is noteworthy that they bribed a Vice-President of the United States, not just some congress critters. Ukraine conspired in corrupt schemes with American politicians. Ukraine poses a major threat to those who used their laundromat or received their bribes, should the records of the corruption be revealed to the world.
Keep cheering for your boy Putin and the destruction he's brought upon a beautiful country just because he wants Ukraine back in the fold of Russian control. And he will kill all Ukrainians and sacrifice all of Russian men to conquer a neighbor for greed, territorial gain and personal grandeur.
Nobody needs to cheer for any of the parties involved. Neither does anybody but the parties involved need to care about who governs Ukraine. Defending Ukraine is the responsibility of Ukraine. The responsibility for electing a senile President belongs to the United States. The responsibility for electing a comic actor exhibiting little man syndrome as President belongs to Ukraine. The responsibity to defend Ukraine belongs to Ukraine.
Ukraine is in the process of being spanked by its bigger, badder neighbor. If nothing else, Ukraine many learn not to antagonize its neighbor, lest said neighbor give it a spanking.
Ukraine threatening to bring NATO to its border with Russia is like a chihuahua baring its fangs and menacing a grizzly bear. Maybe the chihuahua does it twice and nothing happens. But third time is the charm and the grizzly bear engages in a conflict with the chihuahua. I pick the grizzly bear to win because I'm a grizzly bear puffer.
Grow up little boys.
It appears the comic actor has grown as much as he is going to grow, and is a prime example of the Peter Principle. His whole country is suffering because it has a comic actor as President. And because he snarled at the bear before ensuring he had a coalition of the willing to fight his fight for him. Not one nation on earth has volunteered to fight the bear for him, while he is getting mauled. The actions of every nation on earth exhibit their belief that the defense of Ukraine is Ukraine's problem, not theirs.
When Ukraine was given independence, or kicked to the curb, the United States and Russia joined forces to demand that Ukraine give up the Soviet nukes that were left on its territory. With Yugoslavia fresh in their mind, it was expressed that nobody wants a Yugoslavia with nukes. The EU and NATO has shunned Ukraine for decades. Precisely nobody would provide Ukraine with a guarantee of their security except in case of a nuclear attack.
Yugoslavia was not a NATO country. Yugoslavia had not attacked any other nation, not to mention any NATO nation. NATO could not obtain approval from the UN Security Council to intervene militarily. And yet, NATO bombed the defenseless former Yugoslavia for three months. Yugoslavia had no effective air defense. They simply sat there as NATO bombed their civilian intrastructure until they capitulated. And then there were boots on the ground from all over. Ukraine, not so much.
So much enthusiam in one case and not the other. It almost makes one wonder if the little man in Kiev expected NATO and the world to provide military manpower. Perhaps nobody could have foreseen that this was a mistake. Or did he believe Ukraine could defeat Russia in a conflict one on one? If so, that is proving to be delusional, even with massive assistance.
Oh well, we all live, learn, and grow up. With some exceptions on the growing up part. Those will never admit this conflict is the result of a massive American/Ukranian diplomatic screwup. American diplomacy with China has gone so well that when the American Department of Defense calls, the Chinese don't pick up the phone.
Hitler and Stalin would have loved you.