[raxxorraxor]

> Why is it OK for Russia to be dictating what sovereign countries can or cannot do within their own borders?

This is political reality and what Merkel really meant with Realpolitik. It was very well known that NATO involvement in these countries is seen as aggression and that makes the reaction of Putin almost predictable. Most did not believe he would do the last step and he certainly surprised with that. But Ukraine has to have a relation to Russia too. If they want to associate with former enemies of the Russia, the result might also be a war.

Without context this question is almost comical because western nation more often than any other group of countries to intervene in other countries. Lybia, Iraq, Afghanistan, ... It is simply a question of political will, power and interests. Ukraine suffers from that aggression. It was no secret that it is seen as nothing else. Does it ever justify an invasion? Of course not but that also is of no relevance.

> Also in case you're going to pull out some kind of whataboutism with regards to America's behaviour on the world stage, please spare me.

I probably did just that in your opinion, but "whataboutism" is of no relevance. Geopolitics isn't about morals or justifications for foreign interventions.