The Kremlin Made a Strategic Mistake by Refusing the breakaway republics request in 2014 to be reincorporated into Russia where they historically resided
The Kremlin demonstrated indecision and weakness, and left a festering wound that Washington is exploiting.  As I have long warned, the Kremlinâs passivity will result in war.Â
The situation has developed precisely as I forecast.  The Kremlinâs failure  in 2014 to reincorporate the Donbass Russians back into Russia has played into Washingtonâs hands. The Kremlin gave Washington years to arm and train the Ukrainians, to continue the hostilities toward the Donetsk and Luhansk Republics, and to conduct a propaganda campaign that paints Russia as the aggressor.  Mistakes of this magnitude usually result in war.