@Caleb James DeLisle @Sovereign :israel_burn: Doing things needs a reason behind it. What's the use of buffer states in the current reality of warfare? Even more, what's the use of a buffer state whose population is and always will be hostile to you? Even with Ukraine, there's no chance there's a will or a way to take any of the Westerns parts. Best case scenario for Russia is a landlocked rump state with the river running through Kiev as a demarcation line.

This isn't the 1950s, rolling through the steppes and swamps doesn't seems like a wise tactic to me with all the drones. Along with the population of any well to do country not wanting anything to do with war.

As for breaking the EU up, any opponent wishes that for his foe. That said, is it even possible to do and is it worth the chaos? So far like NGO that flood in migrants seem to be doing the most damage.