[d__k]

In 1)-3) you assume that US is the world's global policeman who is always right because it is right.

4) The democratic way: ask people in this "another" country and if the opinions split then restructure it: either convert it peacefully into two countries (like Czechoslovakia) or confederation/federation.

[keiferski]

Except in reality, countries close to Russia are desperate to have as much NATO and American presence as possible. Why? Because the Soviet Union and the Russian Empire preceding it were a universal net negative.

[d__k]

So what these countries are currently doing is replacing the "Russian Empire" by the "NATO Empire" (NATO/US invasion) instead of simply turning into a democracy and asking people how they want to live.

[keiferski]

False equivalency. These countries want freedoms and stability. Not the nightmare of Russian occupation.

[daemin]

Voting to elect a government won't stop the Russian tanks from rolling in.