>>513789022
The problem with Russia is that it's trying to remove US influence from Europe. That's been its entire foreign-policy since the 80's(IE why the Soviet Union began building pipelines to Germany). As the old saying goes, "Keep the Americans in, the Russians out, and the Germans down". In short, if Russia buys off the Germans, America loses Europe, because there is no Europe without Germany.
Russia needs Europe because as you said, it is effectively a land-locked country otherwise. Thus the real problem is, if America pivots to Asia, it loses Europe, and if America doesn't pivot to Asia, it loses the world.
On the other hand, if Russia can be defeated and subordinated, Russia ceases to threaten American influence in Europe, and China loses access to Russian resources. This was the goal of the Ukraine War. We failed. Now Trump is desperately trying to find a way to split Russia from China before it's too late.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcj8xN2UDKc
