I don’t think that’s the issue.
I believe what Putin wants above all is a guarantee that Ukraine is never going to be a member of NATO, with the capability of positioning troops up to the Russian border.
Is it too much to ask? Would we allow masses of Russian and Chinese armies in Mexico, even though Mexico is a sovereign country? I think not.
Don’t you understand that when Putin completes the takeover of Ukraine, then his border moves west to the Western border of Ukraine, where he will again complain about NATO on his border? History keeps repeating itself, yet people insist this time it will be different...