Note: I'm speaking from a geopolitical level, not at man-on-the-street level. As you know, morality, justice, fairness, and equality have very different meaning

Note: I'm speaking from a geopolitical level, not at man-on-the-street level. As you know, morality, justice, fairness, and equality have very different meanings at the high level, and are translated to the common people via propaganda where necessary. Regarding nukes: Nukes are never "used" used. They're only used as a threat (and not a very good one at that), and as insurance against invasion. People rarely take them seriously (example N. Korea). Putin is a special case because this time it was one of the big boys issuing the threats, and so it did rattle people. But since he let it drop, it's dead. Regarding Europe: Europe has spent the last few decades sleepwalking. This war is actually bad for American influence because Germany has now awoken, and France is chomping at the bit to adjust the world order. Europe will look long-term to integrate all of Europe (including Russia), and hopefully make a serious run against China for the next reserve currency. This will involve cooperation with NATO in the near term, and then distancing from it as America falls further into the twilight of her influence over the next two decades (basically like what happened in England, Holland, etc). Regarding Ukraine: They've been separated from Russia too long and are a separate people. You can't just re-assimilate them; their resistance is only natural and will continue even if their entire country is devastated in the process. This is just human nature, and has little to do with logic or pragmatism. Regarding Russia: Putin gravely misjudged the situation on so many counts that it's hard to believe it's the same Putin who headed the KGB. I honestly can't fathom what happened to him that he'd make such a rookie mistake on this. His entourage is going to have to quietly get him out of the way (probably with poison so that he can die in the hospital of a heart attack or something innocuous, followed by public mourning while the reins are transferred), but of course the problem is judging when to do it. After that, Russia is in for decades of pain, as well as American gloating. Europe (in particular Macron) will do its best to keep communication lines open and hope for some kind of rapprochement in a generation or so.