Plus:
It is not whatsoever in the US interest for Europe to become an imperial Russian suzerainty. If you’re trying to understand what Russia wishes to accomplish, the Kremlin-aligned Russian media is the best place to start, and I commend to our readers’ attention, particularly, this article, “The Resolution of the Ukraine Question.” (“The Ukraine Question,” my God!) It was mistakenly published in the Kremlin-aligned media on the morning of February 26. It celebrates Russia’s victory and the collapse of the Ukrainian state within the anticipated two days.
It was, of course, swiftly taken down, but it’s archived, here. This is what Putin had in mind and what his state media was prepared to announce. It’s worth reading in full, so I’ll reproduce it all; the emphasis is mine.
Read the whole thing. Plus: “I’ve written before that the division of the West is suicide. Neither the US, alone, nor Europe, alone, have the wealth, the military might, nor the population to counter the world’s authoritarian powers.”