“...under the absurd premise that Ukraine is fighting for freedom and democracy.”
That may be your premise - but it’s not mine nor is it of many others.
Rightly or wrongly, the govt was of Ukraine was legitimately elected. Now we may not approve of Zelensky or the endemic corruption that goes on in that country. I sure as hell don’t approve of it!
The greater point here was making the Russians pay, literally and figuratively, for their invasion. The idea is to punish the Russians for what they did - not reward the Ukrainians.