What Would Russia Do without NATO?

By Kevin D. Williamson

Wednesday, February 23, 2022

 

Michael, an observation and a question about your piece today:

 

Observation: Like almost everybody else who holds your views, you concede the legitimacy of Russia’s proprietary interest in the foreign relations of its neighbors. I myself am not willing to concede that. I don’t think it is any business of Moscow’s what international organizations Ukraine — or Lithuania, or little Montenegro — belong to. When people of your persuasion say, “Can’t you understand why Russia doesn’t want the countries it used to occupy and oppress in NATO?” I ask: “Can’t you understand why the countries Russia used to occupy and oppress desperately want to be in NATO?” And it seems to me that this is their decision, not Moscow’s.

 

Question: Your implicit argument has the benefit of being non-falsifiable, but: What exactly do you think Moscow would be up to if NATO hadn’t expanded?