I disagree. Putin is building 21-century version of SSSR. He is in same delusional uber-ego dictator category as Stalin, just methods have matured, PR is better (well... he is still a shame to his country though), and he doesn't have the absolute power to unleash stalinist terror - it wouldn't work in same way as back then.
To us in Europe, Putin (and hence Russia) is by far biggest thread to our society and our values. Forget cartoonish muslim terrorists, they are there just to catch headlines to get more sponsors/recruits from Saudi wahhabists.
Putin, on the other hand, longs for his good old days in KGB and the power structure of the world back then.
My country (Czechoslovakia back then) was heading towards democracy in 60', and it was invaded in '68 with russian forces just to stop it. For next 21 years, my tiny little country had 5% more population in form of soviet soldiers permanently stationed there.
This recent bitter lesson won't be forgotten so easily - russians cannot be trusted. Period. I am more glad with US powerhouse being counterbalanced with Chinese.
You can call my opinions personal, but Poles, Hungarians etc. could tell their own stories.
I would even extrapolate and state that well-being of europe is, among other factors, linked to militarily weak russia. Once precious natural resources will go off (and eventually they will), there isn't much Russia has to offer to the world. If any non-russian disagrees, please go there living for few months, and let's talk after that.
I disagree. You know, borders are open. And anybody who wants european benefits can just go there and have a good european life. And many people choose that way. Those who stay just don't give (excuse me my lexic) a shit about Europe. We just do not care, and we are not interested in conquering something. We have a lot of our land to develop, so why we should bother about exhausted Europe?
Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary and a lot of smaller countries was just necessary for safe belt between USSR and the West. If there was no Cold War, there was no need to control that countries. But the West preferred to confront not to cooperate. And what we supposed to do? Should we allow to position NATO's nukes around our borders?
And now Putin have no interest to get something from Europe. May be only money and technology to build enterprises here. Nobody needs or wants conrol over Europe. Even more, a lot of people thinks here that we should learn from Europe...
But now. Europe just pushed us away into "friendly" Chinese hug. And it would have far far different economical consequences for Europe. Because China wants your markets badly. And with Transsiberian Highway it will get them.
To us in Europe, Putin (and hence Russia) is by far biggest thread to our society and our values. Forget cartoonish muslim terrorists, they are there just to catch headlines to get more sponsors/recruits from Saudi wahhabists. Putin, on the other hand, longs for his good old days in KGB and the power structure of the world back then. My country (Czechoslovakia back then) was heading towards democracy in 60', and it was invaded in '68 with russian forces just to stop it. For next 21 years, my tiny little country had 5% more population in form of soviet soldiers permanently stationed there. This recent bitter lesson won't be forgotten so easily - russians cannot be trusted. Period. I am more glad with US powerhouse being counterbalanced with Chinese. You can call my opinions personal, but Poles, Hungarians etc. could tell their own stories.
I would even extrapolate and state that well-being of europe is, among other factors, linked to militarily weak russia. Once precious natural resources will go off (and eventually they will), there isn't much Russia has to offer to the world. If any non-russian disagrees, please go there living for few months, and let's talk after that.