Post WW1 propaganda and half assed conclusion of the war allowed Hitler to brainwash a lot of smart and capable people. Stalin had numbers and full support of biggest powers. He first aligned himself with Germany after WW1, Nazi Germany owes its armored and air prowess to Russia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany%E2%80%93Soviet_Union_r..., and then the moment Hitler betrayed him in 1941 flipped to the arms of US and Allies receiving 1/3 of Europe as a reward in Yalta.
The way NATO/EU acts now, not as united front but individual leaders promoting themselves by "negotiating" without any consultation or unity with neighbors/allies shows clearly whats on the table. Putin is able to play Macron against Scholz against Xi against Biden against Bennett against Erdogan against many other smaller players, promising them whatever they individually want to hear. He must be loving all this attention and importance, most important man in the world, the phone doesnt stop ringing! Afaik only UK and Baltic states didnt attempt to play this stupid game so far, the rest is ready to sell something to Putin in order to make themselves look great ('how I prevented WW3 and won next elections').
The way NATO/EU acts now, not as united front but individual leaders promoting themselves by "negotiating" without any consultation or unity with neighbors/allies shows clearly whats on the table. Putin is able to play Macron against Scholz against Xi against Biden against Bennett against Erdogan against many other smaller players, promising them whatever they individually want to hear. He must be loving all this attention and importance, most important man in the world, the phone doesnt stop ringing! Afaik only UK and Baltic states didnt attempt to play this stupid game so far, the rest is ready to sell something to Putin in order to make themselves look great ('how I prevented WW3 and won next elections').