Wavering On

Of course Russian troops are marshalling on the Ukrainian border. Volodymyr Zelensky has just issued a decree to invade Crimea.

But notice that he feels any need to invade Crimea. Joe Biden was Vice President the last time that the United States promised "unwavering support" to Ukraine on that one. Crimea has been effectively part of Russia ever since. Not that it is any skin off Britain's nose either way.

Whatever the failings of the Soviet regime, the dissolution of the Union itself was massively unpopular everywhere outside the Baltic States, and it faced significant opposition even there, especially in Latvia.

There was a very good reason for that. The borders of the Soviet Republics were never designed for international, rather than internal, use. Attempting to put them to that use was always going to cause mayhem. A generation later, it is still doing so. And since the Union has certainly gone forever, it always will.