Until its borders do not extend to any known or accessible reserves of oil, gas or minerals and the inhabitants of all territories turned into livestock or feral fauna, depending on their degree of obedience. The value of the livestock will depend on wage levels set by global arbitrage, the value of all other fauna by the availability of organs for transplant or wombs for hire elsewhere on the planet. Governance will be negotiated between the relevant stakeholders in accordance with best practice as established by ESG and the global consensus on property law. Then, and only, then will Russia be ready for full acceptance into the rules based international order.
Empire 1: US
2: China
3: Russia
Yay nonalignment!
How small does Russia have to shrink before you'd say it isn't an empire? Maybe look at the Soviet Union borders might help.
Until its borders do not extend to any known or accessible reserves of oil, gas or minerals and the inhabitants of all territories turned into livestock or feral fauna, depending on their degree of obedience. The value of the livestock will depend on wage levels set by global arbitrage, the value of all other fauna by the availability of organs for transplant or wombs for hire elsewhere on the planet. Governance will be negotiated between the relevant stakeholders in accordance with best practice as established by ESG and the global consensus on property law. Then, and only, then will Russia be ready for full acceptance into the rules based international order.
That is the view within NATO.