The article you link quotes Putin claiming that he has never opposed Ukraine joining NATO. That is not only demonstrably false but also just a misuse of the article that muddies the water.
That’s not true:
“As for Ukraine’s membership of the EU, we have never objected to this,” Putin told Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico at talks in China. “As for NATO, this is another issue… Our position here is well known: we consider this unacceptable for ourselves.”
on the basis that he has always planned on annexing Ukraine in whole or in part
And that’s just pure speculation… And afaik hogwash.
If the current trajectory of russian aggression has not yet convinced you, if Georgia’s annexation has not yet convinced you, if Transnistria has not convinced you, if Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kherson have not convinced you (despite pro-russian separatists in the region serving as erstwhile justification for annexation) then I do not know what to tell you.
You are aware that proof doesnt get more solid than repeated, collectively witnessed, action, right? A direct testament from Putin would be less significant than the current record of military intervention.
What people believe in the privacy of their minds is between them and their conscience. What people do is as much a representation of their beliefs, and more fundamentally representative of themselves than anything else. In other words, i do not have to prove anything about Putin’s beliefs or Russia’s beliefs (as if such a thing were possible). I merely have to prove that they act as if they have. That is much easier and more relevant - and most crucially, it is already evident.
That’s not true:
And that’s just pure speculation… And afaik hogwash.
Crimea and eastern Ukraine would like to have a word with you as of 4 years ago.
Removed by mod
If the current trajectory of russian aggression has not yet convinced you, if Georgia’s annexation has not yet convinced you, if Transnistria has not convinced you, if Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kherson have not convinced you (despite pro-russian separatists in the region serving as erstwhile justification for annexation) then I do not know what to tell you.
Those aren’t proof. Those are speculations.
Edit - Context for the removed comment:
I said that the donbas was at war with Kiew since 2014. That was supposedly disinformation. It wasn’t
You are aware that proof doesnt get more solid than repeated, collectively witnessed, action, right? A direct testament from Putin would be less significant than the current record of military intervention.
How can you proof that someone “has always wanted” something?
What people believe in the privacy of their minds is between them and their conscience. What people do is as much a representation of their beliefs, and more fundamentally representative of themselves than anything else. In other words, i do not have to prove anything about Putin’s beliefs or Russia’s beliefs (as if such a thing were possible). I merely have to prove that they act as if they have. That is much easier and more relevant - and most crucially, it is already evident.
I disagree. But I see now that this whole discussion is stupid.
I’ll let you and your motivated reasoning alone.