Ukraine is just a field of conflict between Russia and the collective West that used Ukraine against Russia in a political sense for the last 8 years after the organized coup in February 2014. But NATO is afraid to be involved in direct conflict with Russia and use rhetoric only. From a geopolitical point of view, Ukraine is not a subject, it is an object. Russian interest is to have a security buffer zone close to the borders. But the president of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensly promised to join NATO and to develop nuclear weapons. The West was (and still) interested to use Ukraine as anti-Russian asset.
It is not war, but military operation directed to demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine. Because the red line was crossed by Ukraine just last week (fire on Donbass citizens), Moscow decided to support recently recognized Donetsk Peoples Republic and Lugansk Peoples Republic and protect civilians from attacks of the Ukrainian military and paramilitary Neonazi groups.
In December Russia proposed to the US and NATO to discuss the security situation in Europe and find a solution. They rejected Russian proposals. It has other meaning too. If the West doesn’t understand the language of diplomacy and power politics only, Russia does this option. Personally, I think that the best time was 8 years ago just after the coup when at least 1/3 of the Ukrainian population rejected the new Neonazi regime. But better to do it later than never.
There was a chance to avoid conflict, but Ukrainian leadership did not follow the Minsk agreement and attacks in Donbass were continued. Russian proposes to find a new frame of security rejected. Of course, any military conflict is a tragedy but from Russian opinion, it is better to finish this situation of confrontation now than wait some years and get worse and bloodier war with nuclear weapons. I really hope that the operation will end as soon as possible.
Russian prime-minister Mishustin told that Russia is ready for the sanction, mutually; counter-sanctions from Russia also will be imposed. Now oil and gas prices growing up and it is good both for Russia and countries dealing with the export of such resources. It is bad for the economy of the US. Russian business working abroad will be affected. But it opens doors for more cooperation with other countries from the anti-US blocks.
I think the Ukraine conflict is a sign of the transition era to new world order. Indeed, it is very clear that the US policy of sticks and carrots not works anymore. Eurasian alliance is more visible and Russia ready to support more countries who want to be free from Western dominance and hegemony. Multipolarity is rising and as any historical shift we see some perturbations.
These days, there are some speculations about China’s possible attempt to reunification by attacking Taiwan. But, I would say the Taiwan case is very different, as well as the Kashmir dispute between Pakistan and India or the Sahel in North Africa. Perception of the Ukrainian crisis from most people based on Eurocentric vision, they think if something happened in Europe it will impact the whole world.
But why do they not care about Iraq and Libya, Palestine and other regions? Most of the European countries supported the bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999 and recognized separatist Kosovo-Helsinki agreement about the political borders of Europe was destroyed. Now the same voices who supported attacks on Yugoslavia, Libya and Iraq tell about the borders and sovereignty of Ukraine. Double standards politics, is not?