I think the fact that you keep framing this as a matter of “opinion” is revealing in itself. You speak of “provocation” as if it’s equal and commensurate to bombing and invading a country. I really cannot understand people who keep pushing this point. Ukraine decided they might like to join NATO - so therefore Russia has a right to invade and level the country. Please make this make sense to me. The bombs dropping on Ukrainian citizens every night while Russian citizens sleep in peace should tell you enough - this is not a matter of “opinion” - how easy to say that from a privileged position in which you and your home are under no threat.
And your analogy with Canada and China doesn’t hold up either. In that case too the US would have no right to invade a sovereign country for making decisions about its own future. You speak as if this imagined scenario somehow justifies Putin’s actions when it fact it highlights how wrong they are even more.
Well you clearly are not trying to understand. You believe opinions don't matter as if your truth was the only truth.
For example.
> You speak of “provocation” as if it’s equal and commensurate to bombing and invading a country
I did not.
> Ukraine decided they might like to join NATO - so therefore Russia has a right to invade and level the country.
No. They made it a high priority [1] to join NATO knowing that Russia would be incredibly hostile to them doing that. Whether or not Russia was right to be that way doesn't really matter. If your bully neighbour tells you they may attack you if you try to join NATO, and you try to join NATO, you know all too well you're taking a giant bet.
> Please make this make sense to me.
Does the above help? Can you understand that your giant neighbour may not think like you do, and therefore may be willing to go to war and destroy their own economy just to stop you from joining what they see, rightfully or not, as an enemy alliance, no matter how much you try to convince them the alliance is not a threat even when it's whole reason to exist is to oppose your giant neighbour?
> The bombs dropping on Ukrainian citizens every night while Russian citizens sleep in peace should tell you enough
What does that have to do with the topic being discussed other than try to appeal to emotion? Anyway, yes, I am horrified to see Ukraine being bombed to the ground and I loathe the Russians for doing that. But I remember they made it extremely clear they were going to do that, and the USA and Ukraine were completely defiant to their demands (again, whether those demands were fair or not is another story)... when you have a gun pointed at your head, even the unfairest of demands should be taken seriously.
> In that case too the US would have no right to invade a sovereign country for making decisions about its own future.
Yes, I agree, but we all know all too well the US would absolutely invade, as it has done time and time again. You willing it wouldn't do that won't change that fact.
And your analogy with Canada and China doesn’t hold up either. In that case too the US would have no right to invade a sovereign country for making decisions about its own future. You speak as if this imagined scenario somehow justifies Putin’s actions when it fact it highlights how wrong they are even more.