Yes, I agree. I thought the Nordstream was a big step and would help move towards political normalcy due to interdependence. I was wrong.
Just off the top of my head, they opened the KGB archives wide open for US researchers and authors. They remained completely open for years. Those documents confirmed among other things the Venona Cables and the guilt of the Rosenburgs. When wildfires were about to overrun Los Alamos New Mexico they offered their giant air tankers before we had the 747s in service. But they “didn’t meet USFS standards”.
When 9/11 happened, they were the first nation to call Bush. And it wasn’t just thoughts and prayers. They offered us advice on Afghanistan, free use of old Soviet air bases. No leases, no contract, just show up and fly. They even were providing the fuel. Then they opened the northern supply route when our “allies” the Pakistanis closed off the ports and roads. We could sail into Baltic ports and use Russian rail to supply our forces in Afghanistan.
When the Iranian missile threat started worrying us, we wanted to build an aegis missile interceptor site in Poland and Romania. They asked to contribute and join it as they have massive experience in AA missiles and radars and Moscow would also be protected.... we refused.
They asked to join NATO, we refused.
They were a solid partner in taking us to space for about 15 years while we were out of the game after the shuttle.
They disbanded the old cold war army down to 10% of it’s late 80s size.
In the 90s they let our “experts” run wild in their economy and their elections.
When Notre Dame burned, they offered their church rebuilding experts to restore it... again, ignored.
When they saw the Boston bombers get training in Dagestan, they repeatedly warned the FBI..... who flipped them the finger.
They based their economy on trade, exporting fertilizers, and powering Germany with vast amounts of cheap gas. Despite our attacks on their pipeline and payment systems they still deliver gas.
They placed hundreds of billions of gold and cash on deposit in western and US banks.
They released the secret archives on Katyn Forest. Putin was the first Russian leader to admit it was a Soviet murder. He released the signed order from Stalin to a shocked Poland. They build a monument to the dead Poles and were dedicating it when the Polish presidential plane crashed. Putin had the Polish made movie “Katyn” shown on all public TV channels in Russia after the crash.
Last but not least, they have rebuild countless churches and cathedrals destroyed by the Bolsheviks.
They made an honest effort.
But DC, NATO and military industry NEEDS an enemy.
And the our bankers wanted to loot Russia again the way they did in the 90s.
I cannot think of an instance where we accepted any of their overtures in good faith and not in a spirit of cynicism and exploitation.