Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claims Vladimir Putin "will die soon" amid growing rumors about the Russian leader’s failing health. Meanwhile, France pledges $2 billion in military aid to Ukraine.
New world order: Putin dies, successor adopts democracy and joins NATO, Trump leaves NATO and goes full authoritarian, US becomes new dictatorship while Russia becomes new leader of the free world.
Even if Putin's successor adopts real democracy, it will take generations to change the national psyche that thinks they need a strong leader. As much as the west hates Putin, he does have real support among the people. At least as long as he remains strong.
Most importantly, it takes rewriting their school books.. The Russian school books on mathematics and on Russian language rant about Russian supremacy.
Russia has tried joining NATO before, NATO wasn't really interested. It's one of the main reasons Russia is convinced NATO is inherently hostile to Russia.
Well, yes, NATO was built to oppose Russia, that's why they refused Russia membership, and why Russia considers NATO inherently a threat. And why "Russia joins NATO" is a non-starter, Pution or no Putin.
Does it? If you're defending, it's presumably from an attack, which you are thereby opposing.
I mean, imagine if Russia and the US announce tomorrow that they formed a military alliance - it's just defensive, don't worry about it. Also, UKIP, AFD, and FN won, and the UK, Germany, and France are joining, too. No, the rest of NATO can't join, but it's just defensive, don't worry about it. Also, Taiwan can't join, but China might. Don't worry about it.
I get that exclusion doesn't necessarily have to mean hostility, but I don't think it's a stretch to see a power block forming that deliberately excludes you and be concerned. Now, I could think of a few ways of dealing with that concern that don't involve, yknow, going to war, but I'm not the guy running things.
Russia's behaviour whilst holding a veto in the UN Security Council pretty much proves to NATO that Russia would only be an obstacle, and no asset at all. Fuck Russia! With a giant cactus. No lube!