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A Balkan setback for Russia
13/2/19 19:53![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fridiGreece approves Macedonia NATO bid
Thus, the green-light for Macedonia's accession to NATO has been given. Despite the Russian resistance and back-stage maneuvering. The protocol has been signed, and now what's left are just some formalities, namely collecting the signatures of all 29 member countries. Greece, which had serious reservations about Macedonia's name, symbolically ratified this first.
Russia chose a losing position, insisting for years how this step would be an insult to their interests. Well, who cares.
The Macedonian case shows that resisting any NATO expansion has become a fixation for Russia, regardless of the results. And this effort was doomed right from the get-go. But Putin doesn't seem to care about the potential setback from such a position. If there's a chance for confrontation, he'll use it. In a way, if the prospects of success are zero, all the better for him and his PR story.
( Read more... )
Thus, the green-light for Macedonia's accession to NATO has been given. Despite the Russian resistance and back-stage maneuvering. The protocol has been signed, and now what's left are just some formalities, namely collecting the signatures of all 29 member countries. Greece, which had serious reservations about Macedonia's name, symbolically ratified this first.
Russia chose a losing position, insisting for years how this step would be an insult to their interests. Well, who cares.
The Macedonian case shows that resisting any NATO expansion has become a fixation for Russia, regardless of the results. And this effort was doomed right from the get-go. But Putin doesn't seem to care about the potential setback from such a position. If there's a chance for confrontation, he'll use it. In a way, if the prospects of success are zero, all the better for him and his PR story.
( Read more... )
