Russia sees Ukraine as an existential issue and will do whatever it takes to keep a Western presence off its doorstep. From Paul Craig Roberts at paulcraigroberts.org:
The Western media is a lie machine. Western governments live in a make-believe world of their own impunity. Consequently, the Western peoples lack awareness of the dangerous situation that Washington has created with Russia.
The so-called “peace conference” in Switzerland was a fraud. Russia was not included, so how was it a peace conference? It was a propaganda event to rally support around Washington’s puppet, Zelensky, whose term has expired and who is ruling illegitimately as a dictator. Many of the attendees refused to sign the statement.
Here is a true description of the situation. The West is acting in behalf of the war continuing and expanding. The puppet’s term has expired and Zelensky continues in office despite not being reelected. The Western trained and equipped Ukrainian military has been defeated. At any time Russia can increase the offensive and clear Ukrainian forces from the Russian populated areas that have been reincorporated into Russia. The West’s response to its lost war consists of two reckless and irresponsible actions. One is to send NATO troops, with the French being the opening wedge, to replace the depleted Ukrainian troops. The other is to further provoke the Kremlin by firing longer range missiles into Russia.
Putin and important members of the Russian government have indicated that if necessary Russian troops will move into areas beyond the reestablished border of Russia, stating that the longer the range of the missiles the deeper into Ukraine the buffer region will be.
It is unclear why Washington provoked the conflict between Ukraine and Russia as it was obvious that Ukraine had no chance of winning and as the war was certain to unite the Russian people behind Putin and to destroy any trust of the West in the Kremlin. Most importantly, the West ignored that it was forcing an existential threat upon Russia. The Kremlin is convinced that the West intends Russia’s destruction.
Der Friedensstifter 