Big tough Putin and Russia with nuclear weapons demanded respect and is forcing respect by taking maybe half of Ukraine.

Putin had to ask permission from China's Xi Jinping. Xi told Putin to wait until after the Olympics. Big, proud and tough Putin waited until after the Olympics because no one tells Putin what to do… Except Xi Jinping.

In a few years, Europe will have transitioned off of importing 2.3 million barrels per day of oil from Russia and will not be using Russia natural gas.

Putin's Russia will proudly sell its oil and gas to China. China knowing there is no other customer will pay about half of the market price. Russia will sell all of its oil and gas but not at that humiliating Global Western price. He wants to sell at the proud Iran-China oil price which is about half. Putin clearly has made the smart 3D chess move.