Russia is at fault for Venezuela seeking closer ties with it.

First of all, the title of this post is wrong. The US is at fault for Venezuela seeking closer ties with Russia. There are many in Russia and on the left in the UK who are blaming NATO expansion for the war in Ukraine, or at least stating that this provoked Russia and made the situation unstable. They ignore the right of nations to seek to join NATO and also ignore why these nations feel that they need to join it to protect them from Russia.

The USSR broke up in the early 1990’s with the Warsaw Pact becoming democratic before hand. After Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Armenia had declared independence, the August coup was attempted.  Since then, other nations became independent. 

However, since then some nations that have declared independence have had issues with Russian speaking  areas of their countries. Moldova has had issues with Transnistria, Ukraine with Crimea, Luhansk and Donetsk, Azerbaijan has issues with Artsakh and Georgia with both Abkhazia and South Ossetia.  Not all the areas have a Russian majority population, but the support Russia has given to these areas has made nation’s that have a Russian minority in them nervous.

The issues in some of these areas are complicated but some are simple. Personally I feel that areas have the right to seek independence and should be allowed to do so in a democratic manner, this being a truly democratic manner, not held after a two week referendum process with Russian troops ensuring the outcome.  I also think that violently suppressing independence requests is wrong.

Recently, the president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko held a meeting which appeared to show plans for the invasion of Transnistria, or it’s involvement in the special military operation of Russia in Ukraine. 

Considering what has happened, it is understandable that Finland and Sweden are considering joining NATO.  

I think that it is fair to debate matters and while there have been those in the Stop The War group who have backed Putin over Crimea, Blair did as well, though with him, it was to focus on a common enemy.