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Originally Posted by afc wimbledon
why wouldn't he? if he gets away with this what's to say he decides he wants Poland back?
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I get this line of thinking. It does feel as if Putin can randomly ask for something and threat a war if he doesn't get what he wants. However, he does not randomly ask for something just because he's made up his mind. It's NATO, not Putin, who flat out lies about never promising to expand East.
Putin wouldn't just randomly want to take Poland back. Crimea is very unique case, Russia has been disputed it ever since the fall of USSR and before Putin was even in power. Both getting Crimea back and stopping NATO expansion have been hot topics in Russia before Putin and will be after him. Getting Poland back? Not so much.
That's probably the real reason why western response is not that firm. And why Putin has support inside Russia. For all the madness going on, Russia has solid cases on both points.
If he goes on after other countries, what would stop him is far harder stance from the west and far less support from within.