Did you hear what Putin said? Russia just wants to stop terror from border states that means what left of ukraine and baltics likely become part of russia influence again, finland must be ejected from nato, eastern europe except poland already gravitates toward russia so that's not a problem russia doesn't care about western europe
If Ukraine falls, the psychological barrier breaks, and Putin will get bolder. But I expect the next phase to be more hybrid warfare than tanks: undermining European unity, promoting sympathetic far-right parties, exploiting divisions. As long as NATO holds, he can’t roll in directly. Europe needs to act decisively, lease bases, as there’s precedent (Russia leased the Crimean naval base before the 2014 invasion), and take firm control of the skies. I’ve watched Ukrainians trying to shoot down Iranian drones with 20mm and iron sights, it's nearly hopeless against numbers without modern targeting. My nephew and a cousin left their jobs to work for Thales and another defense firm. Europe needs to get busy or Putin the poisoner will ruin everything. Ukraine, and some African nations, should be offered protectorate status.