Bruuuutal take, Brian.

You can't mention the current situation without bringing it back to the US-backed Maidon coup of 2014 or the promise not to extend NATO at the end of the USSR. Ukraine isn't going to join NATO nor should it nor should we park US offensive weapons on Russia's border. The US knew Russia wasn't going to allow Ukraine to join NATO and take control of the Russian military base in Crimea, nor would the Russophonic native population there be a fan. So the Russian speaking Dunbas declared independence and Russia invaded Crimea to preserve its Naval fleet there and its dignity.

None of this needed to happen nor does anything need to be happening now. Russia got everything it wanted years ago. They have no reason to invade but are deterring action from a Ukraine that wants more western weapons, loans, and support.

The commander of the German Navy recently said exactly that, and had to resign for saying the quiet part out loud. Anyone with an accurate assessment of the situation and history knows that. It is highly highly highly unlikely Russia is going to invade. The US is "pulling out" diplomats but nobody else is because they know the situation is a media creation. This is more histeria to sell weapons and try to put an end to the EU-Russia energy interdependence.

You know what? When countries are economically intertwined they don't start wars. That's a good thing.

Yes, Putin is horrific. Nuclear war is worse. If the EU and Russia want to strengthen economic ties, that should be encouraged and diplomacy should be used to get Russian people more freedom of expression.

And my god, if you think America is putting in "sweat equity" ANYWHERE to maintain peace or that Americans and Brits are the most "true-to-their word nationalities," I've got a few dozen books to recommend, my man.