[Robert Urbanek]

In the 1966 Star Trek episode, The Enemy Within, a transporter malfunction creates two different Captain Kirks: one decent but meek and indecisive, the other aggressive and domineering. It’s a model of sorts for the two different Europes of the 21st century: a liberal but vacillating West and Putin’s aggressive and decisive Russia.

The liberal West has, at least for now, mustered the resolve to support Ukraine but Putin will persist as a bully until he either dies or outlasts the West, which will face increasing strains from culture wars, political divisions, and climate chaos.

Alas, there is no political “transporter” fix that can create a balanced Europe.

[Puffer Fish]

It's true Putin wants to reunite Ukraine to the Russian Empire, and the Russians do have several reasons to do this.
(reasons outlined in this thread: Russia launches full invasion of Ukraine )
However, I do wonder whether the West has been unnecessarily antagonizing the Russians, and therefore if some of the fault for this conflict could be on the West and Ukraine. Probably the Right wing in the Ukraine went a little overboard with their para-military antics and drew the ire of Russia, which also gave the Russians an excuse.
We'd be in denial if we did not recognise Ukraine is even more corrupt than Russia, despite having a government more open to different political sides, and despite adopting progressive Western social values and wanting to side with the West.

[Negotiator]

Sure, Russia is aggressive.

For example they staged a coup in Ukraine in 2014 and happily supported a civil war of nazis against ethnic russians ever since, while showing Ukriane with weapons until they now simply have nothing else to give because all stockpiles are emptied.

And the west is meek.

For example they created the Minsc agreement and waited for eight years straight for it to be implemented (well technically it was six years since it took almost two years to get to Minsc II), and only acted once they found out that the Donbas is about to be invaded by Ukraine.