However, this is all playing chicken. Whenever they were facing actual opposition, they backed down.
Also, are you aware of this?: https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2019-09/news/us-completes-in...
As for INF, US withdrawal was a response to Russia testing infringing missiles first.
https://www.npr.org/2019/02/05/691521600/russia-pulls-out-of...
Sensational out of context drive by sound bytes from the likes of Guardian, Fox News, Twitter and video gammer subreddits are not sources - they’re click bait.
Months and months of this nonsense now.
Do you really think Solovyov and Simonyan are broadcasting it without official approval?
Show me any actual authoritative source not from social or drive-by media pointing out where the official Russian position is some kind of first strike.
Appeasement of someone like Putin is always a mistake.
So far every time the West calls his bluff he cowardly pretends nothing happened, be it HIMARS, Storm Shadow and HARM missile shipments, tank shipments, AWACS support, you name it.
He only attacked Ukraine because he hoped to win in a week, and this wouldn't have happened if the West armed Ukraine earlier. The desire not to escalate with Putin cost Europe a war.