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Occupying a people who don't want to be occupied is too much work and too expensive - why would Russia try it?
I don't know, but they are trying to do that with Ukraine, ffs.
andyp-
I don't know, but they are trying to do that with Ukraine, ffs.
Again, how can you be so sure, ffs?
The areas that the Russians have annexed have all had referendums on whether to join, and voted in favour. You can dispute the freeness and fairness, and I don't know the answer, but they're all Russian speaking areas with historical ties to Russia so it is credible that they might want to join. Especially given Russia is relatively prosperous and Ukraine is a wreck.
I find it inconceivable that they would use the same approach in western Ukraine, where most people don't speak Russian and the aren't those ties.
frank9755
How do you know that?
What I have read is he wants is to roll back nato to where it was before Poland, Romania, etc joined, so no missiles in the old Eastern Europe, as per the James Baker promise to Gorbachev.
I don't know if he'll get that, but I can see the logic for trying.
I've not heard any convincing argument why Russia would want any territories where there is not a majority Russian population in favour of joining Russia. Occupying a people who don't want to be occupied is too much work and too expensive - why would Russia try it?
I'm open to being persuaded but I don't see a good argument from their point of view.