Russia's Potential Responses to NATO Expansion:
Russia could have taken a range of preemptive actions to deter NATO expansion and avoid the escalation of conflict:

Privately warning NATO against issuing a Membership Action Plan for Ukraine.
Demonstrating seriousness by establishing permanent military bases near the Ukrainian border.
Building defensive fortifications as a signal of preparedness.
Modernizing Military Capabilities:
Russia's failure to modernize its forces before 2022, despite lessons from recent conflicts (e.g., Armenia-Azerbaijan War of 2020), limited its initial effectiveness in the Ukraine war. Key modernization opportunities included:

Investing in drone and electronic warfare capabilities.
Developing advanced logistical and reconnaissance systems.
Economic Diversification and Sanctions Preparedness:
Russia could have reduced its vulnerability to Western sanctions by:

Diversifying trade partners (e.g., expanding ties with China, India, and other BRICS countries).
Reducing reliance on European gas exports.
Strengthening Alliances and Influence:
Russia could have:

Deepened military and economic cooperation with allies like Iran and North Korea.
Explored partnerships with European nations to weaken Western unity and create economic dependencies.
Support for Donbas Militias:
Russia could have openly supported Donetsk and Luhansk militias before 2022 by providing training, weapons, and ammunition, mirroring Western support for Ukraine.

Leveraging Energy as a Political Tool:
Russia might have preemptively used its gas supplies as leverage by threatening or implementing supply cuts to Europe.

Strategic and Tactical Lessons:
Drawing from Sun Tzu's principles, the speaker argues that avoiding direct military confrontation (e.g., through economic measures and military signaling) is less costly and more effective than full-scale war.

Western Actions and Perceptions:
The West, particularly NATO, is described as consistently "poking" Russia and expanding influence, framing Russia as an adversary. This narrative fueled tensions and shaped Russia's reactions.

Hindsight and Missed Opportunities:
The speaker critiques Russia's delayed implementation of military and economic strategies, suggesting these could have prevented the war or strengthened Russia's position if conflict became unavoidable.

Core Argument:
The speaker advocates that Russia could have pursued multiple non-military strategies and modernization efforts to counter perceived Western aggression and NATO expansion while avoiding the severe costs and risks of a full-scale war.