Russia is behaving today as you would expect from a very ”normal” country, playing those cards she has and protecting her national interests as she sees them. “The West” always wanted Russia to become “normal.” Russia feels that “the West” – and that is still primarily the U.S. – is forcefully pushing its positions to the east, preparing to potentially include the Ukraine in NATO, maybe even in the EU, and embracing Georgia as well. The Ukraine is the oldest nation-state of importance among the Slavic peoples, with a key role in Russian history and identity.

Continue »