US and foreign leaders should live in the real world.
They had two choices.
1. Move NATO East, ignore Russia's request about security concerns, remain silent about the recent Ukraine request for nukes, and do nothing about the 8 years of Kiev shelling the East, then blame Putin when the crap hits the fan.
2. Do the opposite of above and not have the crap hit the fan.
The US turned a possible friend into an enemy and perhaps destroyed or started to destroy the USD as the reserve currency. Good going! So WHAT if they get to blame Putin? What good does that do me?
The devil will be in the details. Putin just signed a decree banning certain exports and imports with certain countries.
One thing I have read recently was that moving NATO East was a bad idea. Almost all such experts agreed on that.
https://interfax.com/newsroom/top-stories/75965/8 Mar 2022 12:33
Putin signs decree banning or restricting exports from Russia, imports to Russia of certain products, raw materials
MOSCOW. March 8 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree introducing special economic measures in foreign trade for ensuring Russia's security.
The decree introduces certain special economic measures to be in effect until December 31, 2022.
These include "a ban on exports outside of the Russian Federation's territory and (or) imports to the Russian Federation's territory of products and (or) raw materials according to lists determined by the Russian government."
