Putin is your typical bully.If NATO had stood up and said we...

Putin is your typical bully.

If NATO had stood up and said we will enter the war immediately if Ukraine is invaded and showed Russia they were preparing the military for battle
then I think it is likely Putin would not have started this conflict.
Putin is like any bully, if they think they will get hurt they pull back from starting violence.
Putin thought this war would last a week and that is why he commenced it in the first place.
If he could foretell the war would still be going on after two years he would not have commenced it.