“What the West is doing now is the exact opposite of what Nixon did back then,” Adrian Geiges, a co-author of the forthcoming “Xi Jinping: The Most Powerful Man in the World,” told me. “Russia and China are not natural partners. They are partners because of the common enemy — the United States and Western Europe.”
By Farah Stockman/Read via New York Times
View More This Is the Russia-China Friendship That Nixon Feared
NATO’s key, traditional principle is “collective defense.” This means an attack on one or more members is considered an attack on all members. Ukraine membership would also help the country build a closer relationship with the U.S. But regional tensions could be exacerbated if Ukraine becomes a NATO member, as Russia has said it would interpret the alliance’s expansion as a direct threat.
View More What’s NATO, and why does Ukraine want to join?
Today, the two major rival expressions of Orthodoxy in Ukraine reflect two different historical visions of the relationship between Russians and Ukrainians. The future of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine is unclear. It enjoys the support of several of its sister churches. At the same time, it faces fierce opposition from Moscow. For now, it remains a source of controversy between Russia and Ukraine.
View More Why church conflict in Ukraine reflects historic Russian-Ukrainian tensions
The Biden administration is threatening harsh, “high impact” sanctions against Russia if it invades Ukraine. Policymakers claim that sanctions are an effective means of achieving policy goals. But is that true? Are new measures against Moscow likely to be successful?
View More Why Biden’s threat to slap Russia with more sanctions is unlikely to deter Putin in UkraineYou cannot copy content of this page