Can the West make Russia feel secure enough not to threaten the West? No. The threats are inside their heads and only the Russians can fix that.
I don't think Russia would long believe any Western security guarantees:
Here is Putin in full flow on 30 September speaking of the ‘dictatorship of the Western elites’ and how the ‘complete renunciation of what it means to be human, the overthrow of faith and traditional values, and the suppression of freedom are coming to resemble a “religion in reverse” – pure Satanism.’ Invocations of Satanism are now routine. Former President Medvedev, who admittedly has gone increasingly batty, spoke in November of a sacred fight against Satanism. The aim of the war was to ‘stop the supreme ruler of Hell, whatever name he uses - Satan, Lucifer or Iblis,’ [Iblis is the Islamic counterpart of Satan] adding that the fight was against ‘crazy Nazi drug addicts’ in Ukraine backed by Westerners who had ‘saliva running down their chins from degeneracy.’
Until Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014, NATO was disarming and in 1997 promised not to move NATO's defenses east. NATO had no logistics infrastructure in the east and no actual war plans to defend the east.
Also, the UN system itself is supposed to be a collective security system that protects Russia.
Yet Russia believes NATO was a threat. A threat great enough to justify wars to restore Russia's old Soviet boundaries.
As the initial author notes:
Trying to find a way to turn guarantees to be protected against Satanism into treaty language would obviously be something of a stretch.
The Russians are digging deeper into this insanity:
Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, a powerful ally of President Vladimir Putin, is embracing the rhetoric of the mediaeval crusades in urging support for Moscow's offensive in eastern Ukraine.
It doesn't even matter that Putin might not believe that he is on a crusade battling Hell itself. He may be riding a tiger of subordinates and subjects who do believe it and would punish Putin for suddenly saying, "Never mind."
Remember that Russia promised to respect Ukraine's independence and territorial integrity in 1994 in the Budapest Memorandum. Why would Putin expect NATO allegedly in league with Satan to be more honest than himself?
It is beyond the West's ability to make Russia feel secure. Russia needs national therapy to stop being its own worst enemy.
Or a more imminent and obvious threat to divert Russia's attention.
Have a super sparkly totally sane day.
NOTE: Winter War of 2022 coverage continues here.
