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What led to Russia's renewed aggression against Ukraine (643 hits)

What led to Russia's renewed aggression against Ukraine

Putin’s obsession with reviving a version of the Soviet empire is a case study of how strongmen leverage nostalgia.

By Ruth Ben-Ghiat, MSNBC Opinion Columnist

"We want a stable, predictable relationship," President Joe Biden said last May when asked about his goals for his summit the next month in Geneva with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The official summit photograph communicated a sense of harmony and balance, with the leaders seated in matching chairs, a globe between them.

Uh-oh, I thought at the time: A stable relationship with America is the last thing Putin aspires to. Russia works hard to weaken American democracy through cyberattacks, election interference, and supporting secessionist movements and other forms of extremism.

As an analyst of autocrats, I also knew that being presented as Biden's equal at the summit could spark a desire in Putin to show dominance. A few weeks later, I forecast that post-summit, we would likely see an uptick in Russian international aggression, with "chaos and risk-taking" on the horizon. That is now manifesting in Putin's apparent planned invasion of Ukraine, which would mark a return to the active warfare of 2014, when Russia annexed the Crimean region.

READ MORE: What led to Russia's renewed aggression against Ukraine https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/what-led-rus...

Posted By: Dea. Ron Gray Sr.
Saturday, February 12th 2022 at 1:37PM
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Yet, Ukraine is also a means to a greater end. Former Estonian President Toomas Ilves has warned that "Putin wants to establish a legacy for himself in the tradition of Peter the Great and Catherine.

Saturday, February 12th 2022 at 1:38PM
Dea. Ron Gray Sr.

Putin wants revenge.

Sunday, February 13th 2022 at 12:06AM
Steve Williams

Revenge from what?

Sunday, February 13th 2022 at 12:18AM
Dea. Ron Gray Sr.

Revenge FOR the fake news Russian collusion hoax/Mueller hoax. Just keep slandering Putin and see what happens Ron. I hope Putin makes you pay DEARLY.

Sunday, February 13th 2022 at 9:19AM
Steve Williams

So you are a Russian Putin Lover now Steve? Watch out, don't let Mr. Robert Pwell see you speaking favorably to the likes of Putin, OK!

Sunday, February 13th 2022 at 1:26PM
Dea. Ron Gray Sr.

The top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee said Sunday that a blockbuster new federal filing proves ex-President Trump’s claim he was being illegally spied on and the Russian collusion tale is a hoax.

Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio noted Special Counsel John Durham alleged in Friday’s legal filing that Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign paid an Internet company to “infiltrate” servers at Trump Tower and the White House to try to tie Donald Trump to Russia.

“Yep, there was spying going on, and it was worse than we thought because they were spying on the sitting president of the United States,” Jordan told “Fox & Friends.” “And it goes right to the Clinton campaign. So God bless John Durham.

https://nypost.com/2022/02/13/rep-jordan-d...

Sunday, February 13th 2022 at 9:32PM
Steve Williams

The latest pleading from Special Counsel Robert Durham provides indisputable evidence that my campaign and presidency were spied on by operatives paid by the Hillary Clinton Campaign in an effort to develop a completely fabricated connection to Russia. This is a scandal far greater in scope and magnitude than Watergate and those who were involved in and knew about this spying operation should be subject to criminal prosecution. In a stronger period of time in our country, this crime would have been punishable by death. In addition, reparations should be paid to those in our country who have been damaged by this.

Sunday, February 13th 2022 at 9:44PM
Steve Williams

What Hillary Clinton and the Radical Left Democrats did with respect to spying on a President of the United States, even while in office, is a far bigger crime than Watergate. It will be interesting to see how it was covered by the media and what Mitch McConnell and the RINOs will be doing about it. This is an insult to the Republican Party, but a far greater insult to our Nation. Covered very powerfully this morning by Fox and Friends and, of course, Maria Bartiromo.

Sunday, February 13th 2022 at 9:45PM
Steve Williams

THEY SPIED ON THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!

Sunday, February 13th 2022 at 9:47PM
Steve Williams

What are you talking about Steve? I see you ran from this question "So you are a Russian Putin Lover now Steve?" Are you smoking that 💩 again because this blog has nothing to do with Special Counsel Robert Durham, The Hillary Clinton Campaign or Radical Left Democrats.

Now Steve, that subject of this blog is: "What led to Russia's renewed aggression against Ukraine" but I see you don't want people to focus their attention on Russian President Vladimir Putin, why is that?

Sunday, February 13th 2022 at 11:40PM
Dea. Ron Gray Sr.

My comment puts another nail in the coffin of your fake Russian collusion hoax Ron, and answers the question, "What led to Russia's renewed aggression against Ukraine,"

Monday, February 14th 2022 at 1:06AM
Steve Williams

And your answer was…?

Monday, February 14th 2022 at 8:38AM
Dea. Ron Gray Sr.

Revenge man, revenge!

Monday, February 14th 2022 at 10:15PM
Steve Williams