Putin/Russia - good guy or bad?

[xoggoth]

Try C4, Al Jazeera, ...

I prefer to get my facts from Viz. Mad Magazine was good too, what happened to that?

Actually, didn't we do a similar thread before? As said then, while not a Putin fan, I think the West's rush to draw eastern Europe into the EU and NATO was bound to make Russia feel threatened. Our useless leaders would have done much better to make improving relations and trade with Russia a priority. It's a much more important country than former other Eastern block countries.

[SueEllen]

I prefer to get my facts from Viz. Mad Magazine was good too, what happened to that?

Actually, didn't we do a similar thread before? As said then, while not a Putin fan, I think the West's rush to draw eastern Europe into the EU and NATO was bound to make Russia feel threatened. Our useless leaders would have done much better to make improving relations and trade with Russia a priority. It's a much more important country than former other Eastern block countries.

Interesting. I remember watching something where Michael Portillo stated that previous UK governments and other EU governments knew to deliberately avoid bringing the countries close to Russia into NATO. This is also one reason why Finland isn't a member of NATO.

[xoggoth]

On Ukraine, major ethnic differences within countries are the cause of most conflicts. History indicates that people of different persuasions often get on ok until some external cause stir things up, the tensions between Russia and the West in this case. Look at how tensions with the Muslim community are peaking in Europe due to atrocities by Islamic extremism groups in Syria etc.

If we had developed good relations with Russia I doubt the problems in Ukraine would have happened, the citizens would not have seen being on one side or another as such a major issue.

[stek]

Russia was Ukraine at one time, its where the Rus came from.

[zemoxyl]

Interesting. I remember watching something where Michael Portillo stated that previous UK governments and other EU governments knew to deliberately avoid bringing the countries close to Russia into NATO. This is also one reason why Finland isn't a member of NATO.

Quite.

The agreement was between George Bush Snr. Thatcher, Miterrand and Gorbachev. was that the borders of NATO would remain in place as the were before the Berlin wall fell.They wouldn't move eastward.

Just why, the delightful Victoria 'F the EU' Nuland and her American stooges spent $6billion dollars bringing peace and democracy to Ukraine is a bit of a mystery.

[tarbera]

Look at all the times the Ukraines have helped us Brits out in the past (ohh hang on) most would be happy if the UK slipped into the sea. Yet we are pumping billions in to help them out, after the yanks overturned the government.