And I suppose I really ought to make my point explicity. If a faulty ideology caused Russians to invade their neighbors because of “fear”, then removing the political apparatus that constructs the ideology is the only viable solution to the problem.

This seems inordinately difficult, but it worked in Germany quite well, contrary to most expectations. In Russia it would require at the very least a removal of the secret services’ and siloviki control of the state as well as a grand bargain.

How about combined East-Euro, Black Sea and Mid-Caspian Treaty Orgs? Add USA and China agreement. Adjust and draw “eternal” borders for Russia and swear to protect them?

Would Ukraine trade away Senfiropl and the Krim, putting a new border at the Dnieper up to Zaporizhzhye to somewhere like Slavyansk and thence to Valuyki in olde Rossia… for Peace?

Or is “regime change” in Russia her only hope for survival?