I think that’s very close. It could also be up to discuss getting Baltic States out of NATO (Estland and Lettland), which border Russia. I think a security belt between NATO and Russia would be great for world peace.
This war will be done fast and comparatively take a lot less casualties than any other war of countries that size.
I think Putin will not overtake Ukraine and just install a new government that guarantees that it won’t join the NATO.
THIS. Putin is saying the same thing for 20 years. He doesn’t want to have border countries to be NATO members which he sees an extended arm for the United States (which military is probably true). Putin wanted to join the NATO, NATO wants Russia to be more western. Putin feels bullied. NATO keeps going extending EAST and broke the promise that was given after fall of the Berlin Wall. NATO argues that every country is free to join if they want to. That’s the conflict. Even on the 15th February Putin said he doesn’t want war he just wants assurance that Ukraine isn’t joining NATO.
To put it easy to understand: Putin feels bullied by NATO.
There are NATO troops in every NATO country, though.