It's a Conversation, Right?

So, I keep hearing that Biden had a phone call with Putin, and that Biden said X, or Y, or Z.

It's been a week of this, and I haven't heard from American media what Putin said. Did he say, "I have no idea what you're talking about?" or "I can invade who I want,"  or possibly, my favorite, "благодарю" (it just translates to "I thank you," but it's pronounced "blogga-da-you"). 

So I turned to Reuters, and look, third paragraph.

"The Kremlin said Putin told Biden Washington has failed to take Russia's main concerns into account, and it had received no 'substantial answer' on key elements including NATO's expansion and the deployment of offensive forces to Ukraine."

Those concerns seem to be: "Putin, jostling for influence in post-Cold War Europe, is seeking security guarantees from Biden to block Kyiv's entry into NATO and missile deployments near Russia's borders."

Seems like there's lots of room for compromise. 

Comments

[KC]

Sarcasm or not sarcasm on the lots of room for compromise?

[TheQueen]

KC - not sarcasm. I'm hoping this is all posturing.

[KC]

The thing is, it should not take concessions to make one country not invade another. Who might be allowed in the NATO should not be determined unilaterally by a country which wishes to swallow that country (and which also postures about how its border is actually not where it is, etc.); ditto for there being missiles are serving as deterrence and which could retaliate if Russia chooses to defy everyone and swallow the smaller country.

I guess, conceding on either of those things, given the situation, feels a bit like negotiating with terrorists; or like WWII appeasement tactics (which worked out... poorly... for the appeasers and those they were supposed to be trying to limit damage to). There is no legitimate reason for Russia to invade the Ukraine; they're just trying to bully to get things; and we need to avoid rewarding bullying and lying, insofar as it's feasible, on both a national and an international level. But people can disagree, and I'm definitely not an expert on the situation.