And each and every one of those countries are fairly recently joined members of the EU so if NATO was ditched and an EU army formed weād be in the exact same position.
This craziness isnāt about the security of Russia just yet more muscle flexing from itās bonkers leader who revels in the panic heās causing, the demands heās made can never be agreed to as it would be huge move backwards for the security of Western Europe.
Iām amazed that as a proud European you are effectively siding with Putin.
These countries had no possibility of joining Nato, as you very well know.
Is anyone paying you for this?
But they have? Donāt understand.
To understand Russiaās claims of betrayal, it is necessary to review the reassurances then US secretary of state James A. Baker made to former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev during a meeting on February 9, 1990. In a discussion on the status of a reunited Germany, the two men agreed that NATO would not extend past the territory of East Germany, a promise repeated by NATOās secretary general in a speech on May 17 that same year in Brussels.
But Tim, you have to admit if you were sitting in the Kremlin it doesnāt look good. Iām not saying the odious Putin is right, Iām saying we shouldnāt be surprised heās throwing his toys out of the pram.
Russia and NATO signed the Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security in 1997 which in effect didnāt forbid NATO expansion after the break-up of the Warsaw Pact on the understanding that NATO wouldnāt permanently station military forces or nuclear weapons in any new NATO member countries, for itās part Russia agreed not to expand beyond itās current border.
Putin conveniently never mentions that agreement preferring of course to go back to 1990 when the Russian state was far larger and the thought of eastward NATO expansion wasnāt ever discussed and he also ignores the annexing of the Crimea in 2014.
Johnsonās boys keep stoking the fireā¦ā¦.
While he tries to find somebody that will talk to himā¦.
I guess there will always be a lot of would have, should have, could have stuff but IMHO Russia feels threatened and after the Iraq lies I will never trust the Americans again. It seems to me (and the president of Ukraine 
) that itās the US and UK (deja vu) who are banging their drums. This could all end horribly, just like Iraq did. .
Is this the solutionā¦ā¦
ā Ukraineās ambassador in London, Vadym Prystaiko, suggested to the BBC earlier that Kyiv āmightā consider shelving its Nato plans if āpushed to itā.ā
Hasnāt he just been made to backtrack on that by the Ukraine president?
How about telling Putin that Nato cannot rule out Ukraine membership, or Russian membership either?
Yes, Just saw that David. One step forwardā¦ā¦ But it came as a surprise to me that NATO membership is enshrined in their constitution. No wonder Putin is jumping up and down. Time for a good dose of Realpolitik.
And about Russian membership? If Turkey and Greece can both be members.
Could be interesting, for the US, if Japan made to (re)claim Sakhalin. 
Never going to happen. The JDF exists purely for the defence of the Japanese Home Islands and the White House would throw a major hissy fit if the JDF even hinted at carrying out offensive operations.
Germany has the same clause in the constitution. Defence of homeland only - but every time there is a conflict the USA and the UK throw a āhissy fitā and declare Germany is not doing enoughā¦
Germany hasnāt met itās defence spending targets in years and featured the only troops deployed to Afghanistan as part of the ISAF to gain weight as they werenāt allowed outside the wire for fear of German casualties.
Germany has reluctantly agreed to supply troops to the silly wars in Iraq and Afghanistan - to be purely logistical and humanitarian support. German troops are NOT allowed to actively serve outside German bordersā¦
If they gain weight whilst sitting it out - so be it. Rather have them at home defending Germany than some non existing Weapons of Mass Distructionā¦
Also - why should Germany spend more than absolutely necessary? Only to be accused of warmongering - as in ā remember WWā2 by certain british media and politicians?
Because that level of spending was agreed across NATO?
Germany is not the only NATO member that underspendsā¦ but 65 billion is not too shabby.
But it always is a good target for either side.
That was not the case on the World at One today Tim. Around 15:40 in a very different picture was painted. And, of course, the maps speak for themselves.