Certainly, Moscow and Beijing’s “axis of convenience” predates the sanctions imposed by the West on Russia in 2014: the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (a forum for military cooperation and intelligence sharing originally focused on counter-terrorism) was founded in 2002; Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Russia’s own “pivot to the East”, before the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis, in 2013.
Russia and China are undoubtedly closer today than six years ago, but there is more to it than that. In the presence of Russia’s previously expansive relationship with Europe, a Russian pivot to Asia may have remained largely symbolic. In the presence of Western sanctions, however, it has instead become truly historic: Russia and China are closer today than at any point since the Sino-Soviet split that Nixon’s China policy seized advantage of.
But I would not offer concessions to get Russia to flip. Egad, that author is insane. Sanctions? Out of bloody nowhere, it seems! Gosh, why On Earth would Western actions toward Russia have changed in 2014? It's quite the mystery, eh?
Don't act like there's no fathomable reason for the West to isolate and oppose Russia.
The Russians need to stop being a-holes to earn American friendship. Or at least try to be useful to America as China was when the USSR was a thing--if they can stop effing up royally.
The ball is in Russia's court on this issue. Gosh, will they stop screwing up or keep going the way they are?
#WhyRussiaCan'tHaveNiceThings
