What would have been the effects had Russia invaded the Baltic countries in either 2003 or 2004 in order to stop them from joining NATO, both on the Baltic countries themselves, on Russia, and on other countries in the neighborhood such as Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, et cetera?
Some things that I notice is that Russia and China were both poorer in 2004 relative to 2014 or 2021, perhaps even considerably poorer. So, Russia is going to be much less prepared for any extremely massive Western sanctions that will be imposed on it in response to this in 2004, even if it will have China supporting it. I don't think that the West would actually be willing to go to war with Russia over the Baltic countries in 2004, but what do you think?
And what would the rest of Russia's neighborhood think about Russia after such a Russian invasion in 2003 or 2004? Would they become less willing to pursue their own integration projects with Russia after seeing what Russia did in the Baltic countries, for instance?
Some things that I notice is that Russia and China were both poorer in 2004 relative to 2014 or 2021, perhaps even considerably poorer. So, Russia is going to be much less prepared for any extremely massive Western sanctions that will be imposed on it in response to this in 2004, even if it will have China supporting it. I don't think that the West would actually be willing to go to war with Russia over the Baltic countries in 2004, but what do you think?
And what would the rest of Russia's neighborhood think about Russia after such a Russian invasion in 2003 or 2004? Would they become less willing to pursue their own integration projects with Russia after seeing what Russia did in the Baltic countries, for instance?