I totally with you all and the sentiments you've expressed, all valid.
There are two issues that make the situation more unclear and difficult.
Firstly that, over the last hundred or two hundred years Ukraine, or parts of it, have been Russian, Polish, Austrian, etc. It's history of self government, over the last twenty years or so hasn't been too stable from memory. So it's slightly different to a situation whereby Russia invades a long standing country like Switzerland as an example.
Secondly if everyone believes Russia is fundamentally and totally wrong I don't believe it's enough to sneak Ukraine arms and planes. If this was Romania invading Ukraine would we stand by and allow it. I don't think it's enough to take a few yachts off Oligarchs or send tanks, etc. We should tell Putin straight that he either takes his army back to Russia or it's declaring war on Europe and the USA.
In my opinion it's one thing or the other, not this fudge we have at the moment.
Usa UK etc could not justifiably, on a global politics perspective, declared war on Russia at the beginning of the war. Risk of Nuclear war, china, other geo political reasons
This approach, though Ukraine suffers (but I'm sure they prefer this to being overrun), is the best option for the western powers. Proxy war, defeat Russia/show them up, without weakening ourselves and show a united front. Putin is weakened, a defeat could end him.
1. Let Russia take Ukraine. Western nations seen as weak, Russia emboldened, Baltic States next, china sees weakness
2. Threaten Russia with war, follow up on threat, west seen as agressive or at least portrayed as agressive by main rivals. Risk of Nuclear war. We didn't realise Russia was as **** as Ukraine has proven them to be, probably thought they wouldn't be a pushover, or at least weren't sure. Public opinion at home if we sent our own troops. Risk splitting NATO. (It's taken months to get to the point where all nations agree to send weapons, never mind declare war). And let's not forget reliance on Russia oil and gas, war would have plunged half of Europe into cold winter and even higher energy cost than it already has.
Under international law it's a sovereign country invaded by a foreign country. I'm sure Ukrainians, or the majority of them, don't want to be ruled by a mad Putin. So it's right that we're supporting them imo. And though modern Ukraine hasn't existed very long, in the 9th century
Kyivan Rus was it's own state, with Kiev as it's capital, for a few hundred years. So it's got a long history.
Anyway, all of that just to say, I don't think the solutions/options were black and white. And this fudge has its reasons
