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Culture War Roundup for the week of March 3, 2025

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Yes it can because:

  1. it is not important for Russia: it's just an excuse (once again, if they felt threatened they just increased the threat)

  2. It's not important for NATO, given that the west has never really promised anything to Ukraine.

Therefore it seems to me you all say it is "important", but if it's neither important for Russia (their policy proves it) nor for NATO, I don't really think it can be important "per se"

In what world does Russia's policy of

  1. Strenuously insisting for years that Ukraine not join NATO
  2. Surrounding Ukraine with a massive army and sending a list of demands that includes "no joining NATO" and then finally
  3. Attacking Ukraine before it can benefit from NATO protections

Come around to prove that Russia doesn't find "Ukraine not joining NATO" important?

In a world where Russia lies, probably

Okay, but I don't just get my info from Russia, here – you can go look up the memos where Bill Burns (former CIA director) talks about how Ukraine-into-NATO is a bright red line for Russia. Do you think he's lying too?