[oxide]

The Cold War never ended and criticism of Russia is not criticism against Russians.

If the Cold War was truly over when the wall fell, we'd have welcomed Russia into NATO. That would have been a huge mistake, as Russia has proven to be antithetical to democracy and an aggressor against the interests of the West, despite dressing up in its skirt.

Instead we've engaged in proxy war after proxy war with very little changing in the best part of 40 years or so. That's no accident.

Suggesting otherwise IMO is to take talking points from the mouth of the Kremlin. I get tired of the "Russia is being bullied by the mean ol' United States" narrative, they're malignant and hostile. I think you're right to raise this point.

[af78]

| If the Cold War was truly over when the wall fell, we'd have welcomed Russia into NATO.

This was offered by NATO: Partnership for Peace, NATO-Russia Founding Act https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia%E2%80%93NATO_relations It's Russia that wasn't interested.

[starttoaster]

When one of the parties of a "war" elects not to leave that "war", can you argue the "war" ever truly ended, even if one side sent an olive branch?

[bastardoperator]

I'm pretty sure he spilled the beans, I don't think he has to worry about prison, staying alive is his new main story line.

[drawnwren]

Yeah, everyone made this a comment about a specific candidate. But objectively one candidate is pro-supporting Ukraine and one is against it this time around. Regardless of your prior beliefs, Putin benefits far more from a specific candidate this time around.

And they have repeatedly been caught meddling directly in Western countries (see i.e. multiple assassinations in the West).

[oxide]

Exactly. I treat anyone suggesting Russia should be treated with kid gloves with suspicion. The sentiment that they are being bullied is flatly offensive. Russia made its bed in the 90s and complains about lying in it.