So, now it's the end game.
A recap as I see it.
Putin caused a crisis. He demanded that Ukraine be stricken from even consideration of entering the NATO defense alliance. He built up a force on Ukarine's border and stepped up the proxy civil war in eastern Ukraine. He played the escalate/de-escalate/escalate/de-escalate game of 19th century power politics. Testing and trying to wear down support within the NATO alliance. In the back of everybody in Europe's mind was economic harm if Russia cut off LNG supply. I don't think he threatened that but there was no need to. Somehow China got involved, sort of a boogey man that never made an appearance but scared people anyway.
NATO, with Biden's leadership showed resolute support for both unity within NATO (well, as good as it can get). Also NATO gave support to Ukraine, both diplomatically and in arms. An alliance was struck between NATO and Ukraine's people that was also resolute. Biden walked the narrow line, opposing Russian aggression without committing troops to Ukraine or military involvement. He painted Putin into a corner by telling him point blank that his global dirty money empire will be stripped from him if he invades. Then made clear he wouldn't stop there with sanctions, including. Putin couldn't back down without some sort of face saving measure.
Putin was never going to invade Ukraine. This was political theater, meant to test NATO's unity. Putin learned that his money launderer, Trump, did not manage soften the alliance enough to break under pressure.
While the U.S. warns that Russia could invade Ukraine any day, the drumbeat of war is all but unheard in Moscow, where pundits and ordinary people alike don’t expect President Vladimir Putin to launch an attack on the ex-Soviet neighbor.
apnews.com
He completely lost his bid to break NATO. So, now he's doing his best to save face within Russia.
Russians scoff at Western fears of Ukraine invasion
MOSCOW (AP) — While the U.S. warns that Russia could invade Ukraine any day, the drumbeat of war is all but unheard in Moscow, where pundits and ordinary people alike don’t expect President Vladimir Putin to launch an attack on its ex-Soviet neighbor.
The Kremlin has cast the U.S. warnings of an imminent attack as “hysteria” and “madness,” and many Russians believe that Washington is deliberately stoking panic and fomenting tensions to trigger a conflict for domestic reasons.
Putin’s angry rhetoric about NATO’s plans to expand to Russia’s “doorstep” and its refusal to hear Moscow’s concerns has struck a chord with the public, tapping into a sense of betrayal by the West after the end of the Cold War and widespread suspicion about Western designs.
While the U.S. warns that Russia could invade Ukraine any day, the drumbeat of war is all but unheard in Moscow, where pundits and ordinary people alike don’t expect President Vladimir Putin to launch an attack on the ex-Soviet neighbor.
apnews.com
Wait for it, Fox, OAN and other fake news channels are going to pick this narrative up too and we'll hear it during campaigns by GQP who serve Putin, not the US.
Game's never over but this round goes to the Democratically led US.
Plenty to do, just don't fret over an invasion.
