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he made choices that were not in the interest of the Ukranian people.
Right. Provided your definition is limited to the existence of people somewhere in Russian territory who speak Ukrainian.
If the Ukranian people want their own country rather than being Federal subjects 'best interests' might have a different definition.
hugo7
OK - quickly as have to work, but in 2014 there was the Orange revolution and government was kicked out in a coup. The old governement had been in favour of co-operation and alliance with Russia, the new one wanted to pivot to the west and join EU / NATO.
The coup was basically a CIA operation - although there would obviously be some legitimate grievances they could work with, as there always are.
Fighting in Donbas area (East) started about this time - not 2022.
Zelensky came to power some time after as the compromise candidate. A native Russian speaker, from outside the political world - he could clean it up and get a peaceful compromise. But he went back on that and decided to go all in on EU/NATO. Why? Don't know, but the Panama Papers said he acquired a large overseas property portfolio.
Ukraine in NATO is perceived as existential for the Russians and always has been. The US has always known that, everyone has.
Minsk accords were meant to stop fighting in Donbas and work out a compromise. Merkel and Hollande admitted recently that they lied to Putin and negotiated in bad faith.
In 2022 Zelensky pushed forward with plans to apply to NATO so Russia invaded.
Peace talks in Turkey, mediated by Israeli ex-PM. Agreement reached - war to end after a few days.
Boris Johnson flies to Kiev and persuades Zelensky to rip up the agreement and keep fighting. What did he offer him? Who knows.
War continues. Lots of people get killed. Country gets utterly wrecked.
Zelensky didn't have to have the war and he could have stopped it at the outset. On several occasions he made choices that were not in the interest of the Ukranian people.