Quite the "border dispute". 20% of yet another country, not only occupied, but in this case even annexed and it would have been far worse, if Putin wasn't ( imo ) decicively mislead or hadn't misjudged Ukrainian and Western resolve. Remember, Russia made an opportunistic, if unsuccessful dash attempt to take Kyiv, topple the government and possibly occupy and divide, if not annex the whole of Ukraine. Even if we somehow whitewashed what happened thus far ( and we can't because it also includes massacres ) since fortunately, the worst case scenario was prevented, they are still trying to completely strip Ukraine their access to the Black Sea and industrial heartland. Let's also not forget about Crimea.
I mean, I get where you're coming from. But what fair deal could possibly be struck in the current political environment ? We are dealing with a fascist leader and nuclear power, who questioned the existence of whole countries and peoples on national broadcast. Whose rhetoric has been for many years, based around a "Greater Russia", consisting of ex Soviet enclaves and buffers, which now happen to comprise nations, that regained their independence from two tyrannic Russian entities, succeeded by another in 1991. Coupled with a society that since has been subjected to and manipulated by endless "holy Russia" vs the "satanic gay West" and whatnot other pseudo-religeous hate-mongering.
It's not like the West wasn't still talking to them. But at this point, Putin and Russia are refusing any compromise, that doesn't bend over and violate their victim. The other side may also think and act in influence spheres and exploitation, but that so called West is not the main reason why most of those countries chose to strife towards the Western world or at least be under NATO protection. It's Russia being Russia. They always had and still have their own twisted vision of border constellations and assertive, dominance hinged "diplomacy" and trade. We are just very lucky ( or perhaps very unlucky ), that Russia is governed by heavy corruption and in a relatively weak state, instead of becoming a genuine super power after the breakup, with lot more to offer and allies than the West.
We won't ever be able to strike fair deals with them under such circumstances. Not when they refuse to adjust their mindset and political goals to at least respect the basic souvereignity and rights of others. Who have every right to chose what they are alligned with, even if some Western actors thought their interests were inconsequential to their own or "the greater picture", and I get that. But once again, we are currently dealing with an entity, who makes impossible demands and is willing to use force when threats won't work. It's like trying to be the "nice guy" by striking compromising deals with a home invading bully, over the heads of the victims, in breach of existing laws. We can argue all day the about the Wests complicitness in it. But that's the situation we are in right now.
Someone needs to be talking to Putin and not further isolating him.
