I concur with the thrust of this article - all parties should head to the negotiation table.

Only someone who remains ignorant of the many real life provocations could ever believe that Russia's military action in Ukraine is 'unprovoked'. Mox has given an excellent summary of the major provocations which have led to Russia’s current actions.

Perhaps those who cling onto the myth of an ‘unprovoked invasion’ could explain the breaking of NATO's promise in 1889 that it would never expand eastward. Or The US-backed Colour Revolution in Ukraine in 2004. Or the US-initiated coup in Ukraine in 2014. Or Ukraine's total disregard for the Minsk Agreements signed in 2014 and 2015. Or the US withdrawal from nuclear missile treaties so NATO could surround Russia with medium range missiles. Or Ukraine's constant shelling of the Donbas between 2014 and 2022 and its intensified bombardment on the 16th February 2022.

These are just some of the many ways the US has attempted to contain and provoke Russia. The US always has to have an enemy so its defence department and armaments industry can continue to prop up its ailing economy. While Gorbachev and Reagan were ending the Cold War, the war hawks were busy reestablishing Russia as the enemy. The demonisation and provocation has never ended. Putin has tried to negotiate in good faith with the US for over two decades. His military action now is the last response to a long line of arrogant and unnecessary US provocation.

Why do old left and right of the Anglosphere, in far away places, agree on Russia being a victim while ignoring the interests, rights and lives of 250 million citizens of Northern, Baltic, Central Eastern Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Ukraine and Russia?

There is far superior research, analysis and journalism, both on the ground and geopolitical, coming out of the latter nations and regions, under duress, versus the opinions of ageing ideologues in the Anglosphere?

Mox and Bronwyn,

The problem that you face is trying to explain how Ukraine who never made an attack on Russian soil provoked Russia into launching a full scale invasion. The "provocation" boils down to Russia considering Ukraine to be vasal state of Russia that had the nerve to cast off its shackles.

The reality is that no one seriously believes a word from Russia, and Russia's baseless agression has destroyed any remnants of good will from the west. Russia's retaliation to the sanctions such stealing leased planes etc have not only made it a political but a financial pariah as well. When the EU weans itself off Russian gas and oil, secondary sanctions will be applied to India and China and Russia will be truely screwed as no one will want to buy or sell to Russia for decades.

Russia cannot sell arms to the world primarily because it cannot produce even enough to replace the arms being easily destroyed by Ukraine. The US, UK, France etc are happily taking their market share, and using Ukraine to demonstrate their superiority.

Russia is becoming exhausted and over the last few weeks its attacks have become feeble.