Here is another post to bookmark. I have an advantage. I have lived much longer than you, so i have seen all this before. I know how a conflict between a big bully country with a powerful army and a smaller country that doesn't want to be bullied ends. It ends once the big bully's soldiers discover their country has been lying to them.
The Europeans need to figure out whether they want to win or not too. Right now, Poland and Finland are the only two countries that are not deadbeats. If Britain, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, together had to fight the Russian Army they might be able to defend themselves for three days- maybe four. Germany would need to think about it for three or four months. I know they are all part of NATO, but NATO is dependent on member countries maintaining a certain level of capability- which most of them are not. Because the US is supposed to do the heavy lifting. Or so they think.
Yes, Putin is an imbecile for violently invading a neighboring sovereign nation while continually using lies as excuses for his criminal actions while eliminating 87% of his own ground troops. Only a complete imbecile of a leader does this, like Putin.