Important article Logan Stone.

The U.S. and NATO are somewhat confined when it comes force defending Ukraine. More so because of expenditures on the war in Afghanistan and the return one in Iraq. Should we have not have had these wasteful (and generally fruitless) encounters, America would not be in a stronger position. But, what's done is done.

We can't threatened force without being prepared to use it. And, a military skirmish with Russia could easily go places we don't want to go. The American public has no appetite (or stomach) for a war with Russia over Ukraine (we pulled out of Afghanistan and northern Syria even when American lives were not being lost).

Hence we are left with sanctions which as you say are partially effective at best. And, not free of cost. They hurt us and our alliance members particularly. Also, sanctions once in place are difficult to remove (witness the Iran dithering mess).

I don't see Putin winning from this adventure. He has pumped adrenaline into NATO and that's also a good sight for Xi Jinping. The West, on the information scene, has been keeping up and even at times ahead of his Putin's game. The price paid by his oligarchs in lost business in Ukraine hopefully could get Putin moving on.

Unfortunately hope is not a reliable strategy.

Many thanks