We had exactly this attitude during the cold war lol. Nato's actions here are absolutely consistent with the principles of deterrence worked out during the cold war.

There's a reason there were endless proxy wars, guerrilla trainings, and secret arms supplying back then. Neither side would risk a direct conflict with the other, so they did all that instead.

You'll notice that's the exact same toolbox they're drawing on now. They didn't invent this shit for putin.

That's basically the predicament the entire world has been in ever since the first nuke was developed. It's just that no nuclear power has quite passed a line that another nuclear power isn't willing to accept. If what you said above were to happen we're basically in uncharted territory.

I'd step out on a limb and say maybe the best move is to let the aggressors take whatever they want, nobody really knows.