(1) A "genocide" is, by definition, the attempt to "kill a people". Given that Russia denies Ukrainians are actually a people (that they may have thought differently in the past is not relevant to the current situation), and that we do not see directed or organised attempts to actual mass murder (with the exception of the Bucha incident, which looks gruesome, likely is a war crime (we will have to determine that once independent investigations are over), but ultimately can be just another My-Lai-style massacre committed by dehumanized soldiers (noone accused the US for genocidal intend after My Lai...).
> independent legal analysis
Think tanks, given they are financed by outside interests, never are independent. A short search on their investors shows that these outside interests are mostly in the 'regime change' camp, and painting an opposing regime with the genocide brush is pretty effective.
(2) So Great Britain is not following these so-called "European Values", because they are against free movement of people? Hungary and Poland, which are less-than-democratic, do not follow these values? Germany and France, who have serious problems with not getting into Human Rights abuse, do not share these "European Values"? Or are "European Values" just something we tell the governed so they can keep feeling superior to less-enlightened regions?
(3) I am personally afraid that having more leeches will eventually tip the point to more nationalism and lead to new conflict and war within Europe's heartland, not at its periphery. It is hard to explain to a people why their elderly should freeze in the winter when money seems to be available in unlimited amounts to give to East-European elites.
(4) I've given you two names which tried to undermine Russian governance and were (and still are) massively financed by European and US governments. That you choose to ignore them and instead dance around how Russia is financing TV stations and bot farms to undermine ours reeks of hypocrisy.
We in the West would do good not to forget about causes and effects.
(5) Given there are no natural resources not provided by bloody despots (I still refuse to acknowledge the genocide part), and that there is no democratic nation that is in union with Europe as you describe, I'm for going with the less-ecologically-damaging (pipelines are better than ships) and cheaper option.
(6) Sure Russia has something to do with it. So does Poland, Hungary, Germany, Uruguay and the Chippendale stripper project. Everything is connected. Russia may have a larger impact due to proximity - but I see the main problem with Ukraine's widespread corruption.
Your second sentence is speculation at best. I find it more likely that Russian elites that now are getting poorer will use their influence and power to turn the country into something even more dangerous than today.