“In the case of Ukraine, our Western partners have crossed the line with their bullish, irresponsible and unprofessional behavior. Russia was pushed to a line beyond which it could not retreat. If you press the spring too hard, it will recoil. Ukraine’s likely joining of NATO would have led to the deployment of NATO warships in Crimea’s Sevastopol, “the city of Russian military glory.” It’s unthinkable for me that we could be guests of NATO marines in Sevastopol. They may be great pals, but let them be our guests in Sevastopol, rather than the other way round. The U.S. is guided in its policies by “the right of the might.” They have come to believe in their exceptionalism and their sense of being the chosen ones. That they can decide the destinies of the world, that it is only them who can be right always.” -Putin