Hello Joe the resident Waffen SS admirer, how are you doing today?
This is a war that is an existential fight for survival for Ukraine, it is a desperate struggle to maintain their territory and their sovereignty.
For the countries in Eastern Europe, this is a brotherly crusade against a common foe. Russia is the oppressor that has subjugated them before, and - they believe - would seek to do so again. They feel deeply for the Ukrainian cause and are Ukraines most ardent supporters.
For the Anglo-Saxon powers, this has indeed become a proxy war. They are, of course, part of NATO, so it is imperative that the Russian military machine in degraded within Ukraine so that Putin does not have the capacity to attack a NATO nation, which would trigger a nuclear conflict involving them.
For France, Italy, and Germany, this is an unwelcome war which imposes significant economic costs. Nonetheless, their interests most closely align with their Eastern European allies and with their Anglo-Saxon allies, so they are onboard with the broad alliance, albeit with significant misgivings and a lack of genuine ardour.
