I just want to say that I value Barbos perspective in this thread. I think it's wrong, bonkers and badly twisted. But it is the Russian version of the war narrative. A narrative that I don't think I would have fully understood without his input.
I always value learning other people's perspective. It's always good getting a reality check.
No, what is bonkers is a swede thinking that ukrainian language has a lot of german words in it.
Your heads are full of shit like that. Even heads of your government critters are full of shit like that. They know nothing about history, geography or anything relevant, they can't even learn to pronounce names of the cities correctly.
I am at this very moment dating a Ukranian woman. So I think I am, as far as westerners go, fairly well informed.
I think it's safe to say that Ukraine has for centuries tried to break Russian dominance, be more open to the west and become more independent. Russia has always been domineering and exploitative. Ukraine wasn't included into Russia as part of Russia proper until 1783. That's not that long ago. Before that it was various vassal states or as a piece in the Ottoman, Austrian-Hungarian game of European chess.
Finland was an integral part of Sweden since it's founding (almost a millennia) and we don't go on and on about wanting that back. The idea that just because your country used to rule another, you have a right to it in perpetuity is stupid, and a recipe for eternal war. And what's more, Sweden's claim to Finland is way stronger, culturally, ethnically and historically than Russia. Yet, it's Russia who keeps trying to get it back.
It's got nothing to do with history. It's got to do with power. Russia has attacked the Ukraine because it thinks it can get away with it. I think it's that simple. And the International community has a responsibility to help protect it against a continuation of Russian bullying. Seeing Western attempts to protect Ukraine as bullying, is just bizarre IMHO.
en.wikipedia.org