The meme is historical (21 years have passed since these events), but the context is less so.
Russia has never abandoned its imperial ambitions and, since the fall of the USSR, has constantly strived to rebuild its lost position in this part of the globe. To this end, it invaded Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014 and 2022. Central Europe avoided this fate by joining NATO – Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Poland in 1999, and the Baltic states, Romania, and Slovakia in 2004. Belarus and Ukraine, which did not join the alliance, remained in Russia's sphere of influence for years.
by Redar45
3 Comments
The world after 04*
Georgia and Kazakhstan: 👀
Mentioning historical things from 20 years ago means we can shit on whoever was president in Russia 20 years ago, right? That guy dropped the fucking ball.
Russia knew NATO wasn’t a threat when they signed the NATO Russia Founding Act in 1997.
>NATO and Russia do not consider each other as adversaries. They share the goal of overcoming the vestiges of earlier confrontation and competition and of strengthening mutual trust and cooperation. The present Act reaffirms the determination of NATO and Russia to give concrete substance to their shared commitment to build a stable, peaceful and undivided Europe, whole and free, to the benefit of all its peoples. Making this commitment at the highest political level marks the beginning of a fundamentally new relationship between NATO and Russia. They intend to develop, on the basis of common interest, reciprocity and transparency a strong, stable and enduring partnership.
[https://www.nato.int/cps/su/natohq/official_texts_25468.htm](https://www.nato.int/cps/su/natohq/official_texts_25468.htm)
Russia and the rest of the Non-NATO USSR are in the Partnership for Peace.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partnership_for_Peace](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partnership_for_Peace)