>>I wonder what it is about the liberally minded that causes a marked preference for death and decay.
It's the exact opposite - as a Pole, any kind of appeasement of Russia will cause more death and decay in the long term. The whole "oh we just need to stop fighting now to prevent more death" is stupid if Russia's intentions haven't changed. But that's just not my rambling - even Russia's generals and advisors think that conflict with NATO is "inevitable" in the next 10 years. European countries towards the EU's eastern borders also say that it's extremely likely that Russia will enter a direct conflict with NATO in 3-5 years.
If that's your point of view(and it certainly is mine) - why wouldn't you keep fighting? Why wouldn't you arm Ukraine to the absolute teeth and kick Russia out with such decisive force that that it would cripple them for a long long time financially? Negotiating a shitty "peace" deal right now sure, will stop some deaths now, but will allow Russia to re-arm, recharge, built some more alliances and in few years come up with another bullshit reason to attack Ukraine again - and maybe this time they push into Poland too, because why not. And who knows if NATO will be around to save us if needed, maybe Eternal President Trump will say we haven't spent enough GDP to deserve being saved, or that he spoke with Putin and it's all good and we should just stop resisting. After all just few days ago he was asked if Russia should keep the land they took and said that well they lost a of men fighting for that land(!!!!!!!).
It's terrifying. It's not a "liberal" mind - it's a mind of anyone whose country has been invaded by Russians in the past and can see where this is going.