Russia has been an Imperialistic country for centuries – In Are Russia’s Enlargement Dreams Fulfillable? – Mikhail Khodaryonok basically says that ‘constant expansion‘ is in the Russian gene, and is the ‘true existential of our historical existence‘.

In their opinion, for centuries the Russian state, with its harsh and inactive political interior, was preserved solely due to the relentless striving beyond its own borders. It has long forgotten how, and most likely never knew how to survive in other ways.

External expansion, Russian thinkers believe, serves to defuse the internal tension that accumulates in society and which in no case should be released into the wild through liberal experiments.

Putin made a *HUGE* mistake reinvading Ukraine, e.g., he has reminded Nations just how Imperialistic Russia is, and at the same time exposed the weaknesses & disorganization of the entire Russian Military.

Enlargement of NATO

Retired US General Petraeus: ‘Now it’s inevitable – we should give the ATACMS’

It was inevitable that we were going to give M1 tanks to Ukraine. It was inevitable that we were going to give the HIMARS. It was inevitable that we were going to give the long-range. It was inevitable that we were going to have to provide Western fighters.

I think now it’s inevitable – we should give the ATACMS.

Obviously, there are political dynamics in individual European countries, in the EU and NATO collectively, in the United States, where people will say: “Oh, but what about this? What about that?”.

We have to be aware of these challenges. But when this (the counteroffensive) succeeds, it will enable the sustainment of the effort in individual European countries, Europe collectively at the EU and NATO level, North America, and so on. It’s also very important that there be a concrete commitment at the Vilnius Summit on July 11.

It’s inevitable that Ukraine has to become part of NATO and I hope that in Vilnius, there will be an acknowledgment. It’s not going to say – you’re immediately in NATO or that there’s a firm timeline. But there needs to be a communique that gives hope to the Ukrainian people.

Putin is about to get more bad news at the upcoming 2023 Vilnius summit, IMHO.

In many respects, Ukraine is fighting NATO’s war for NATO. I mean, who is the threat to NATO? Obviously, there’s only one threat to NATO at this point in time, at least in the neighborhood. And that threat is very much degraded and depleted in ways that will set it back by over a decade.

Just the confirmed loss of tanks is now over 2,000 by oryx.com. The (actual) losses are actually much greater than that.

I’ve often noted publicly that the greatest gift to NATO since the end of the Cold War is Vladimir Putin. And the irony of this particular situation is that Putin set out to make Russia great again, and what he’s really done is make NATO great again. He’s actually made NATO greater with the addition of one crucial member Finland, which has very capable forces.

Sweden is next, and then eventually Ukraine will become a member of NATO – thanks to Putin.