Russia's stated intention is to destroy the Ukrainian nation and to erase Ukrainian identity. Putin believes Ukraine is not a real country and Ukrainians are not a real people:

https://www.businessinsider.com/putin-denies-reviving-russia...

Putin believed he could flip Ukraine in three days. Three years later Ukraine is still explaining to him that he is wrong.

Ukraine is fighting an existential war of independence. And for three years, despite having a larger population and a larger military, Russia has failed to wipe Ukraine off the map.

America is making the wrong choice in submitting to Russian aggression and in becoming a Russian ally. It's grubby stuff.