U.S. announces approval of contentious minerals deal with Ukraine

[IbogaProject]

16. Actually the primary issue is NATO expansion

That has been the issue all along, but the negotiators hand wave it away. Russia is clearly wrong and the aggressor but their pre and war negotiating point was no expansion of NATO into the Ukraine. Yes there are lots of other transgressions going on by Russia but that was their claim during negotiations before this resumption of the war in 2022. https://www.reuters.com/world/russia-unveils-security-guarantees-says-western-response-not-encouraging-2021-12-17/ The rest of Europe says the won't allow Russia to dictate any other countries defensive alliances or security arrangements. Again this doesn't excuse the war whatsoever but just a glimpse of the pre and postwar negotiations.