I believe the point the OP was making is that Ukraine, like many other countries, exists because there are limits to the actions its larger, stronger neighbour

I believe the point the OP was making is that Ukraine, like many other countries, exists because there are limits to the actions its larger, stronger neighbour is willing and able to take. cf Western Sahara. The international community was not interested in preserving Western Sahara as a state, and so now its entire territory is governed by Morocco, save for some tent cities in a corner of desert the Polisario Front clings to mainly because it'd be bad PR for Morocco to wipe them out.