Comments by "possumverde" (@possumverde) on "7NEWS Australia" channel.

It's Putin's inability to drop the Cold War antagonism and intimidation approach with not only the west but his own neighbors as well that keeps pushing said neighbors towards the west. If he would just abandon the past and quit trying to be Stalin, Russia would be far better off than they currently are. The cold war has been over for awhile now. Nobody's out to get them anymore. Meaning no offense, but they're just not as relevant these days as they once were. People are just tired of putting up with Putin. When your entire foreign policy is simply to pick the side the west doesn't just to be a contrarian (and regardless of it's effect on your country) people are not going to want to have much to do with you and it's not their fault. He's holding Russia back far more than the west.
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If Russia were still as relevant as they once were, his position might make some sense. They're not though. Haven't been for awhile. His being stuck in the Cold War mindset and infatuation with Stalin's leadership style have done far more damage to Russia than the west could have ever hoped to do back in the day. He's a relic incapable of modern political relations. Especially with his neighbors. His bullying approach to them is the reason said neighbors seek so much involvment with the west to begin with.
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@valesverga9 It's his own behavior that pushes his neighbors into seeking more from the west. If he'd quit trying to be the second coming of Stalin and join the 21st century with the rest of us, he wouldn't have any of this to worry about.
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