A big question for me, is if Putin turns around tomorrow and says “operation is complete, we are withdrawing” - so we just give ourselves a pat on the back and be done with it?
The amount of damage and loss of life caused by Russia is surely too much to ever forgive or to move on from at this point. Do we demand Russia pays to rebuild Ukraine? What do we do when they refuse? Do we support Ukraine if they decide they want to start getting revenge and firing more missions at Russia?
I would hope that at minimum, the west will keep all sanctions and measures in place until Russia has paid back Ukraine for the damages, and returned the displayed citizens they have kidnapped (neither of which I believe they will ever do).
There cannot be a return to the status quo with Russia now. Any relationship is shattered. A previous poster said that we (the west) need to start accepting and preparing for the possibility of a war with Russia. It’s not pleasant and it’s not desirable, but only once we accept that as a possibility can we start to play Russia at its own game and curtail their aggression.