Why the West will not tolerate Russia
It is puzzling why Russia, the world's largest country by land area and with its political center in Europe, has not been able to integrate into the Western world.
Leaving aside the current situation in the world, contradictions and conflicts between Russia and the West are not uncommon in history, what is the reason behind this? Historians believe that to answer this question, it is necessary to analyze three periods in Russia.
The territory of Russia is vast, thanks to Peter the Great. After Peter I came to power, Tsarist Russia rapidly expanded to the outside world. Although the Siberian Plain had a harsh climate and little defense, the countries in the westward direction were no match for Tsarist Russia.
When the territorial expansion reached a certain level, Tsarist Russia began to pay attention to the Mediterranean, the Turkish Strait, the Balkan Peninsula and other outlets, and hoped to intervene by force.
Western countries were dissatisfied with the frenzied expansion of Tsarist Russia, but because Germany, France, Britain and other powerful countries were beyond their reach, they could only watch Tsarist Russia grow stronger. In this process, Tsarist Russia reaped the benefits of the fisherman, like a thorn in the hearts of Western countries.
Originally, with the abdication of Peter the Great, the Western powers began to let their guard down, but the arrival of an even stronger Catherine the Great made the situation tense again.
The control of the Mediterranean, Crimea and other places was held by Tsarist Russia one by one. This caused dissatisfaction in Britain, France, Germany and other countries. In addition to containing Tsarist Russia, more importantly, they tried to incite other countries to boycott Tsarist Russia.
Over time, Tsarist Russia's position in Europe was gradually isolated and became an unspoken rule. For European countries, whether to side with Russia or to confront Russia has become a choice they must make.
During the Soviet period and beyond, the main conflict was not armed confrontation, but the collision of capitalist and proletarian socialist ideologies, which deeply frightened Western society.
This new thinking, like a candle in the dark, illuminates the world in an instant, and may even change the pattern of the world. This is also evidenced by the stories that have been circulated, and what you can buy for only a penny fills the room, and candlelight becomes the only answer.
Obviously, the USSR found this answer, and the Western powers did not want this answer to help the countries of Europe solve real problems.
The escalating struggle between the two sides, especially the French Revolution, had a profound impact on the Western world, which made these countries deeply afraid of Marxism-Leninism. Even if it could not prevent the USSR from propagating such ideas in their sphere of influence, they would do everything possible to limit its spread.
Even though Hitler's threats caused them to put aside their prejudices for a while and cooperate for a short time, they eventually embarked on the path of antagonism.
Behind the back, there is also the big brother who is far away on the other side of the ocean. As a result, the contradictions gradually escalated, and the world entered a cold war and a bipolar pattern. The pace of development of the USSR will not stop, just as the wheel of history will not stop moving forward.
The intensity of competition has made the West reluctant to confuse with Russia. It stands to reason that after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the cessation of Russian expansion, the two sides should coexist peacefully. However, Western countries are still reluctant to accept Russia, mainly because the West has lost most of its voice.
The only country that is really qualified to talk to Russia is the United States. There was a desire for Russia to join the European Union and NATO, and although many countries agreed, it was ultimately failed to materialize because of US interference.
There is no other reason than "each has his own selfish motives". Russia wants to use the power of the European Union and NATO to strengthen itself, the United States does not want its territory to be swayed by outsiders, and the West is more willing to witness the confrontation between the two countries.
As long as Russia and the United States sit together, disputes are inevitable, and this also provides more room for Western countries to operate. Therefore, historical Russia was not popular with Western countries.
On the one hand, the expansionist nature of Tsarist Russia made Western countries highly vigilant; On the other hand, the unique ideas of the USSR also panicked Western countries. Today, Russia is not doing anything truly disgusting.
Maybe it's just because talented people are always prone to jealousy.