Its a catastrophic strategic defeat of Russia if either of them joins NATO. So Russia traded Ukraine (which was already supposed to be in Russia's influence anyway) with another country joining NATO
That's some "I am a very good negotiator" Trump energy right here. Putin should be proud for his 5D moves...
Don't you think your pronouncement is a tad overblown? I mean, what choice did Russia have in confronting a strategic dilemma with regards to Ukraine. There are some people that has this misguided persistent thinking that if only Russia wasn't under the thumb of Putin the war with Ukraine wouldn't have happened, but the belief in that premise is fiction and wrong. The right assumptions to be made is that if only NATO didn't expand, cheated Russia into eastward expansion of NATO especially announcing in 2008 that Ukraine would be inducted into the organization then war wouldn't have materialize. And to suggest that only Putin could have made the invasion possible is to totally ignore the politics, and history of Russia. No self-respecting proud Russian leader elected or not can ever allow his/her country to be surrounded by her enemies let alone close to it's doorstep, and most especially within a country whom it shared long historical, cultural, and religious ties.
As for Sweden, and Findland joining NATO we can't pretend that their possible inclusion weren't in the works for a long time and was just looking for a perfect fait accompli to enact this plan.
Russia has been pushed on all directions left with little to no choice in front of them taking the actions it took against Ukraine is the most viable of all the least viable solution it could find. What's the alternative? To cower, and prostrate themselves back to the West as they had done back in the 90's? And then to be used as a cannon fodder against China as the new baby bear for American interest.
Putin may have overestimated his troops ability in defeating the Ukrainian military quickly and decisively as suggested by a lot of military experts resulting into the unnecessary loss of military manpower and equipments, not to mention severely underestimating the resolve and economic punishments that the entire collective west have exacted against Russia. I just don't see what he could have done differently strategically to avoid this collision with the West. His country was and is economically weak, and uncompetitive minus the strength of Russian commodities, relies on military exports, reliant on the institutions of diplomatic power left behind by the USSR vis-a-vis Founding member of the U.N. other than their almost 7,000 nukes that's all they got.
@Overbom am I missing something here? If you were in Putin’s position what would you have done differently that would have avoided this catastrophe as you put it. And would the actions you propose guarantee that the outcome would not have arrive just the same?