![](https://i.imgur.com/CLvY2jA.png")
09-03-2022, 07:02 AM
The US has many unsettled scores with Russia.
These include Syria, Crimea etc. Russia has lost much of its influence and 14 Soviet bloc states entering NATO.
After Crimea was annexed, US had a lot of disagreements with its NATO allies on Ukraine's NATO membership that was promised since George Bush was president in 2008.
Post Crimea, the US and its allies set off to punish Russia only to find it's sanctions have limited impact as its allies are reluctant to go further, laws on asset freeze not in place and Europe being dependent on Russian oil and gas.
Over the next few years after Crimea, the US and its allies started to prepare for more crippling measures once given the chance they can put into play and get rid of Putin or neutralise him once and for all. These include an extensive study by a sanctions team of all the kleptocracy's assets most of which kept ousidae Russia in western countries in particular London. The building of LNG facilities in Europe and supply of arms and training to Ukrainians.
They had everything in place so that numeroou options are available should they need to act againat Russian aggression.
Looking back all the way to September 2021, starting with Russia putting up demands against Ukraine's NATO membership and refusal of NATO to cede to those demands. Tensions rose. But the invasion was all along a possible but unlikely event. The reason being it would be highly damaging for Putin and Russia and would create an opportunity for the West to weaken or remove Putin once and for all.
Looking at thee demands from Russia released 2 days ago to end the war, 1. Ukraine declare neutral 2. Give up areas now already occupied by Russia for 6 years, I would say the war is almost over. Zelensky went to think about and immediately said 'yes' to being neutral and maybe for the other. He will probably counter propose some modified form of the demands. Russia will accept as it cannot afford a prolonged damaging expensive occupation of Ukraine that serves no purpose. .
After all this, Putin will find himself in the corner a pariah state with a collapsed economy. Even McDonalds closed in Russia. It's oil exports will collapse in the coming months. It's airlines can now only fly to a few countries still friendly with Russia. All his oligarchs power base are banned from their favorite playgrounds and have their wealth confiscated.
Once the Russian economy goes downhill Putin's support at home will decline.
Backed to a corner and without real options, he will sit tight and spend the rest of his days trying to stay in power and preventing himself from being overthrown.
He will be increasing reliaant on China for help but China has more to benefit elsewhere.
In all this remember that economy of Russia is half of California or the same size of Texas. Putin took most of the money from resource wealth go spend on military and benefit his oligarchs. While he tries to project power and influence externally, it's economy has no manufacturing base and limit capabilities...the money came mostly from oil and gas.
There are many pro and anti western views here. When the dust settles, the main event isn't about Russia being able to justify a war to counter NATO expansion. It is almost irrelevant Zelensky did not even spend 1 day to agree to give up NATO membership. The main thing that happened is Putin falling into a trap and getting pushed into a corner where he will remain for the rest of his days
In a few days or weeks, we won't be talking much about this invasion anymore but Russia's economy will be in shambles for the years to come.
These include Syria, Crimea etc. Russia has lost much of its influence and 14 Soviet bloc states entering NATO.
After Crimea was annexed, US had a lot of disagreements with its NATO allies on Ukraine's NATO membership that was promised since George Bush was president in 2008.
Post Crimea, the US and its allies set off to punish Russia only to find it's sanctions have limited impact as its allies are reluctant to go further, laws on asset freeze not in place and Europe being dependent on Russian oil and gas.
Over the next few years after Crimea, the US and its allies started to prepare for more crippling measures once given the chance they can put into play and get rid of Putin or neutralise him once and for all. These include an extensive study by a sanctions team of all the kleptocracy's assets most of which kept ousidae Russia in western countries in particular London. The building of LNG facilities in Europe and supply of arms and training to Ukrainians.
They had everything in place so that numeroou options are available should they need to act againat Russian aggression.
Looking back all the way to September 2021, starting with Russia putting up demands against Ukraine's NATO membership and refusal of NATO to cede to those demands. Tensions rose. But the invasion was all along a possible but unlikely event. The reason being it would be highly damaging for Putin and Russia and would create an opportunity for the West to weaken or remove Putin once and for all.
Looking at thee demands from Russia released 2 days ago to end the war, 1. Ukraine declare neutral 2. Give up areas now already occupied by Russia for 6 years, I would say the war is almost over. Zelensky went to think about and immediately said 'yes' to being neutral and maybe for the other. He will probably counter propose some modified form of the demands. Russia will accept as it cannot afford a prolonged damaging expensive occupation of Ukraine that serves no purpose. .
After all this, Putin will find himself in the corner a pariah state with a collapsed economy. Even McDonalds closed in Russia. It's oil exports will collapse in the coming months. It's airlines can now only fly to a few countries still friendly with Russia. All his oligarchs power base are banned from their favorite playgrounds and have their wealth confiscated.
Once the Russian economy goes downhill Putin's support at home will decline.
Backed to a corner and without real options, he will sit tight and spend the rest of his days trying to stay in power and preventing himself from being overthrown.
He will be increasing reliaant on China for help but China has more to benefit elsewhere.
In all this remember that economy of Russia is half of California or the same size of Texas. Putin took most of the money from resource wealth go spend on military and benefit his oligarchs. While he tries to project power and influence externally, it's economy has no manufacturing base and limit capabilities...the money came mostly from oil and gas.
There are many pro and anti western views here. When the dust settles, the main event isn't about Russia being able to justify a war to counter NATO expansion. It is almost irrelevant Zelensky did not even spend 1 day to agree to give up NATO membership. The main thing that happened is Putin falling into a trap and getting pushed into a corner where he will remain for the rest of his days
In a few days or weeks, we won't be talking much about this invasion anymore but Russia's economy will be in shambles for the years to come.
I, being poor, have only my dreams; I have spread my dreams under your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
![[Image: YIqCS9V.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/YIqCS9V.jpg)
