watso just reading comments by Sergei Shoigu... it seems that...

watso just reading comments by Sergei Shoigu... it seems that the americans missed their opportunity to totally weaken russia ..

Russian security chief explains West's key 'mistake' regarding Russia

The United States and its allies wasted an opportunity to weaken Russia by completely embracing it in the 1990s, according to Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu.

Shoigu stated that had Russia been fast-tracked into the bloc, the country would have lost its sovereignty, and "the resources and natural deposits that our country has would have been largely redistributed and snatched."

Russia was facing financial trouble in the mid-1990s and was dependent on foreign help, so it would have gladly joined the Western fold if offered, the official claimed.

Shoigu stated that at the time, he was following the arrival of foreign subsidy tranches in order to hurry to the government and get cash to pay salaries to personnel at the Emergencies Ministry, which he commanded.

"They’ve made a mistake. They should have gotten us into the EU as soon as possible. And we would be like the EU members: just a command from across the ocean, we would be folding our paws and getting ready to jump through a hoop."

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/russian-security-chief-explains-west-s-key--mistake--regardi

and an interesting opinion piece about the empire of lies .. ie america .. a long read

The war against reality: Soft power and owning narratives – a Western obsession ..

The United States has always presented itself – ever since its genocidal beginnings – as a pure and virtuous entity, bestowing freedom and democracy to all who enter its hallowed halls. It is the world's champion of narratives, which it has constructed and used to celebrated itself over the centuries. Over the years, these narratives have been selling: "The American Dream" "democracy", "freedom", "human rights", "Western values", "a rules-based order, "philanthropy", "individual opportunities", "from rags to riches", "instantaneous stardom"… .

https://english.almayadeen.net/articles/opinion/the-war-against-reality--soft-power-and-owning-narratives