Updated 2 years ago
Consider for a moment that Putin is single-handedly creating, piece by piece from scratch, a world-class Western NATO-caliber country right on his doorstep that is probably stronger, more capable, determined, creative, and battle-hardened than any single European country. Yes, way stronger than the Baltics or Finland, and that is saying a lot. Finland punches far above its weight.
Ukraine is like the Borg in Star Trek. Every dumb missile Putin sends only makes it stronger.
And they will distrust and hate Russia for a generation or three. We are talking a North-South Korea level of division. The intermarriages soften this somewhat. But Ukraine won’t give Russia an inch on a policy, national level.
Hopefully, Belorussia will turn as well. The seeds have been sown.
And after this is all over, just wait. If Russia’s edges start dissolving, and, say, the nearby Caucasus erupts, again (especially Chechnya, Dagestan, and Georgia looking for some payback) Ukraine will be in a position of being able to weigh in helping behead the queen.
..but it probably won’t get to that. Putin will not survive this war. He will be replaced by someone who blames him for the disaster.
Russia will repent. It will be for sanctions to be dropped. It will seek to Westernize its military and economy.
Of all this I am certain, if Russia is to survive in the 21st century.
And, ideally, (and I am probably being unrealistic here) someone who will salute Ukraine for its bravery and make overt gestures of reconciliation. Even reparations.
Don’t laugh. Gorbachev, Perestroika, and Glasnost also happened out of the blue, and in a MUCH less dire environment.
