What should the West's reaction be to a Russian invasion of Ukraine be?

That is incorrect. NATO violated international law and illegally took Kosovo from Serbia.

Now the west has no standing to complain when Russia takes territory from other countries too.

The Serbs were never doing that to begin with. They were merely protecting themselves from terrorists.

But even if the Serbs had actually been doing that, that would have been put to a stop in 1999. It would have had nothing to do with the theft of Kosovo in 2008.

 

I admit the KLA were a terrorist organisation who murdered Serbs and retribution was inevitable and sometimes justified but not on that scale (British paratroopers actually killed KLA members who attacked Serbian refugees). The West isn't taking any territory from anyone, that's not how we think, just everyone wants to be like us, certainly the people of Kosovo did and so do the people of Ukraine, why would they want to partner with Putin and his gangster state?

 

What should the West's reaction be to a Russian invasion of Ukraine be?​

~ Regardless of what the west should do - it will likely follow the Chinese government's suggestions.

 

I voted "Other". The USA needs to stop trying to be the world's policemen.
We are already involved in too many other places on the globe as it is.

 

For once I agree with you, Pollycy.

 

I'm not very interested in paying for an armed conflict with inflation and American lives. I've already had some experience with defending other peoples' countries with military. Watch the Chinese. They are affecting the world in a much more sane way. I would simply close the US Embassy in Russia, eject Russian diplomats from the U.S. and outlaw trade with Russia until they undid the invasion and went home. If that turned out to be permanent action then so be it.

 

Yet Kosovo was taken from Serbia.

I suspect that propaganda is the reason why some Ukrainians prefer Russia.

But regardless of the reason, if Kosovo has the right to leave Serbia, then pro-Russian regions have the right to leave western-leaning nations.

 

It is probably a foregone conclusion that Russia will take the 'Donbas' -- but, a large complication for Russia could be Zaporizhia, which occupies the space between Crimea and the Donbas.

It is very important to both Ukrainians and Russians....

 

It was not, the Kosovans wanted freedom from the Serbian yoke and who can blame them? Yes, the pro-Russian regions have the exact same right of self determination but it should all be achieved peacefully by negotiation and compromise. I would suspect some Ukrainians do have historical cultural identity with the Russians and that should be respected, despite the blatant failings of Putin's Russia.

 

Serbia certainly didn't agree to let Kosovo go.

So, if it is done nonviolently, it's OK then for all pro-Russian regions to declare independence and secede from pro-western nations?

 

Of course not they wanted to keep Kosovo as their vassal. Yes, absolutely, by compromise and negotiation.

 

They wanted to rule Kosovo directly as an integral part of their country.

How does compromise and negotiation work when the local area insists on independence, and the encompassing state insists that they remain a part of them?

 

Exactly! You let the area go and negotiate the borders.

 

What happens when a country refuses to let the area go?

 

Send them weapons. Arm everyone in Ukraine. The Russians will take the areas that want to be Russian and the others wont be worth the trouble.

 

Then you keep trying for a deal, believe as someone from Northern Ireland I know the consequences of such insanity.