re: Change my mind: The average American would be better off if Ukraine lost in the next month

Because he also believes Ukraine is Russia and bombing the shite out of Ukraine would do no good for Russia. If you’re trying to take a country for yourself, why destroy the place. Putin thought Ukraine would cave easily and that the West would be too scared to do anything about it. He thought the West’s response would be just like 2008 and 2014. He underestimated Ukraine and the West. Putin has several motives in this war. Trying to reestablish what he thinks is the real Russian Empire and trying to stick it to the West.