“But invading a sovereign nation overshadows any nations internal problems, and is not a proper solution, not if we want a world with countries that respect laws and norms between other nations.”
Countries get invaded when other options are exhausted. NATO clearly knew what they were doing, yet kept doing it. And NATO knew it would lead to an invasion, as Putin has done the same in other countries in his neighborhood. The question then is why did NATO want this outcome?
Russia made the invasion option one. Did they go to the UN? Did they get consider an economic embargo, or other sanctions? Did they seek international support for their cause?
No. None of the above. Instead Putin called up his military for months of ‘peaceful’ war games. Instead he gives speeches about how Ukraine never really existed or it was overrun by nazis who were a threat to mother Russia.
Exhausted options? Laughable.
I think you answered your own question. Because Putin has done the same in other countries in his neighborhood, even when they weren’t invited to join NATO