Well, ax one of the directors of Truthout is less-than honest, that is not a publication that I would trust. Personal experience of someone's flawed character tends to color what people write.

I have heard that story before. I don't buy it. It's that Putin was forced to invade Ukraine because Ukraine wants to join NATO, and the west is surrounding Russia.

That doesn't wash with me.

I'm certainly aware that the west uses both money and military to retain the reins.