I've never been to Ukraine but Kyiv has been on my bucket list ever since Ukrainian independence. I've gone on several virtual "walking tours" and am always impressed with how beautiful a city it is.
Maybe NATO should have done as you say. It'll remain one of those "what ifs" historians like to debate.
However, while Kennedy did indeed stand up to the Soviets during the missile crisis, it should be remembered that he agreed to certain conditions, not known at the time but which were crucial in gaining the Soviet withdrawal. That is: first, a promise never to invade Cuba--no more Bay of Pigs style attempts, and second, the withdrawal of US missiles from Turkey, with the promise never to place any others. It makes me wonder, in your scenario, what the West and Ukraine might have had to give up to forestall the Russians, bearing in mind that in 2022 there were serious doubts as to whether NATO had sufficient resources in place able to move that far east in the time required.
Of course, we now know that the Russian military was a paper tiger, but back then it seemed quite formidable.
I'm hoping we see the total collapse of the Putin regime very soon. Tin pot dictators like Putin rely on the impression of strength and depend upon quick victories at low cost to maintain their air of invincibility. Mussolini fell literally overnight once Sicily was taken. The Argentine junta collapsed after its defeat in the Falklands. I'm hoping that, with this latest Ukrainian success, something similar will happen to Putin.
Best wishes to you and yours, and welcome to DU!
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