“was under direct (not de facto) Kremlin rule for 70 years”
Actually, since the time of Peter the Great...except for a few interruptions when they were under the control of Poland or Lithuania.
This fact is one the neocons do not want to become common knowledge within the American people. And very few Americans could even find Ukraine on a map, much less have any knowledge of its history.
It nearly extinguishes their zeal to hate Russia for invading Ukraine. And their zeal for war.
Peter the great ruled over his personal Tsardom, spoke French and German.
By your logic, the USA should be part of England again, eh?
I have no zeal for war. But I think it’s worth pointing out that even during Soviet Union days some autonomy of Ukraine was recognized by the Soviets; they sent their own team to the Olympics. Meaningless from a governmental point of view but a diplomatic distinction.
Regardless of past history though, Ukraine was recognized internationally, including by Russia, as an independent and sovereign nation. Russia has no moral or legal right to destroy Ukraine’s sovereignty. They may well succeed in asserting right-by-conquest. But we should not just turn the other way.