@Andy_Scollick yes, it will stop there, because they have resources to do anything else than hold on eastern Ukraine for maybe 5 years. Fact that putin keeps promoting people still saying "yes" bodes well for Ukraine. He is never gonna put someone capable in charge.

@peteriskrisjanis Russian Ministry of Defence together with other ministries (Industry and Trade etc) and the General Staff already have a programme for the rearmament of Russia and reorganisation of military-industrial production. It's a 10-year plan with financial accelerants to bring that down to 8 years. That's a current allied milplan assessment. They are coming back bigger and more aggressive. Russia must be defeated (in Ukraine and thru' blockade) and contained.

@Andy_Scollick I can't seriously take any russian claims with face value. They suddenly won't become more effective, not corrupt, much better motivated.
Should they have to be kept in check, should we have to be ready for WW3 or any critical situations? Sure. But taking such claims as serious talking point feels vain. Ukraine needs support without such "backing".

@peteriskrisjanis It is precisely because we, the West or whatever we call ourselves, didn't take Russia seriously in 2008 (when they invaded Georgia) and then 2014 (when they invaded Ukraine, seizing Crimea and occupying the Donbas) that we had the Russian full-scale invasion attempt in Feb 2022. Some of us (me incl) warned for years after 2014 that Russia was building for an attempt. We were ignored. That has cost not only Ukrainian lives, but also emboldened Russia, China and others.

@pascaline @Andy_Scollick I would not worry too much, if anything it will be opposite. Both countries have ruthless autocrats at the helm, but are acutely aware about energy independence, China especially.
West however had this "whatever floats" sense about overall security of energy, it believed in its own oil growth hype. This is a result of business calling shots of external security. Now we are at the rude awakening phase, and still governments struggle to take control of the situation.

@pascaline @Andy_Scollick I actually see China going into Siberia to secure oil fields if all shit gets hot in russia.