Yes, it would be very interesting to discuss at length.

I disagree that the west will help Ukraine push Russia out. We are big on overthrowing governments and then abandoning the vassals we install.

Crimea, like Kaliningrad, was a Russian oblast in the USSR. Crimea got transferred to Ukraine by Kruschev. Lithuania (wisely, I think) rejected the offer to take Kaliningrad at the same time. My point is that in the last 70 years Crimea has gone from Russian to Ukrainian back to Russian. So is it Russian or Ukrainian? Crimea wants to be part of Russia.

The Donbas is not so black and white, but similar in their desire to be NOT part of Ukraine. They actually tried to not be part of Ukraine when the USSR broke up.

The central and western parts of Ukraine are VERY mixed about east or west. What is not disputed is that Ukraine is VERY corrupt since the breakup of the USSR (if not before).

Under those circumstances the west coming in to "save" Ukraine looks similar to the Korean war and the Vietnam war. We got a draw and a loss in those wars. I think the odds look similar in Ukraine.