Hell, that’s what this fight has been about!
Whether Ukraine would remain a Russian client, or become an EU client/member of the “western” conglomerate.
Ukrainians and everyone in Europe/US wants them in THEIR orbit. And Russia wants to keep them.
US interests are that we should not care either way. But do-gooders often confuse their perception of good with real US interests.
Our interests are best served with the free flow of AG and energy produced by both Russia and Ukraine. AND the restoration of our military capabilities...which were reduced by supporting Ukraine. And they were inadequate before the fight started.
A quick Russian victory is where our REAL interests were.
“Hell, that’s what this fight has been about! Whether Ukraine would remain a Russian client, or become an EU client/member of the ‘western’ conglomerate.”
Russia didn’t want Ukraine as a client state (as it indeed was, just as it was a client state of other countries); it wanted Ukraine as a captive state. Not unlike Germany wanting Austria and Czechoslovakia as captive states in the 1930s before “annexing” them.
The problem for Russia is, that Ukraine does NOT want to be a captive state of Russia; nor does it want to be annexed by Russia.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Russia has designs well beyond Ukraine. They announce this constantly. Putin and Russia are dangerous and will be more so if they control Ukraine.
That is why a quick Russian victory was not in our interests.
Not is this war helpful, but Biden’s weakness brought it on.