Well, is Russia rich enough to provide Ukraine a brighter future of GDP growth and wealth as a result of a Ukraine-Russian strategic partnership, comparing to Ukraine joining the EU (or at least an EU-Ukraine strategic partnership)?Russia is hardly poor though. Just their income from oil and gas alone is Saudi Arabia level. Obviously they have more population, but the military spending is about the same.
America is rich (soon to be was), and they've started more wars than everyone else.
I ask you this because Russia (and to a much less extent, EU) has made it clear that Ukraine-Russia and Ukraine-EU were mutual exclusive, at least prior to this war. If Russia forces Ukraine to choose between Ukraine-Russia and Ukraine-EU, what competitive advantage can Russia offer?