The real lesson is Russia is not willing to countenance a hostile Ukraine on its borders. Its going to nip it in the bud and send any one else tempted to mess around with Russia a sharp warning.
Russia doesn’t want Kiev’s affection; only its obedience.
If we step back a few hundred years, there were vassals. The vassals paid homage to the hegemonic king.
That is my view. Putin is creating a vassal
And so ends the idiotic American “neo-conservative” pipe-dream in Eastern Europe.
Can’t imagine that Putin will launch a major attack on western Ukraine. Maybe the Eastern half that is sort of Pro-Russian—maybe he will back a restoration of the elected government—or just slice off what he wants. What can the uS do? Zip. Our Troops in Kabul use Russian airbases to gather supplies—Putin could cut them off. He could keep USA out of the space station—we can’t launch men into space anymore. What about western Europes Natural Gas—he could cut them off. If war comes—who will fight for Ukraine? Will the Poles, I don’t think so? The Slovaks? The Romanians? Will the Turks? Not our war. Its really too bad for Ukraine let us hope for the best and cool things down—Let the Bear take Criemea and hope that will be all.