Sorry let me ask that again, why do you feel the need to specifically discredit putins claims?
Just that if “The End Of History” is the kind of stuff you’re interested in, you may be a bit politically naive.
The analysis in it is interesting. I’m personally a socdem (as you prob already know by now) so no I don’t like him because I think he’s right all the time. What a weird way that’d be to read someone’s analysis lmao. I’ve read marx too. And I laugh at Zeihans predictions on europe. But mostly, I laugh at your attempt at convincing me you read literature.
Puerile.
But true. Explained my thought process more above.
They didn’t get the chance to join.
Doesn’t matter to my point tbh. Friendships don’t help deterrence, only official military alliances do. That is my point and nothing else. putin had no choice but to invade before any NATO stuff come alive, but would’ve invaded with or without any plans of joining.