I am sad to say that the words of NATO are worthless and Putin knows that all too well.
Let us go back to World War 2. When Germany invaded Poland, we decided that war was the only option and NATO DID NOT EXIST; we knew that it would cost thousands of lives but if you do not stand up to a bully, which Hitler was and Putin is, ignoring every single international agreement and the sovereignty of the nations that were invaded.
If you honestly think that Putin will stop with Ukraine, you are sadly naïve; I truly wish I was wrong. He will go after all of the Baltic States, even if they are in NATO.
Putin does not recognise sanctions; he only recognises military threat.
Look at it this way. If a red hot ember is not snuffed out, it will grow into a fire and destroy forest after forest.
You have to snuff it out before it becomes a big fire. It is the same with the current crisis. If you do not snuff out Putin now and he continues his invasion, it will be far more difficult to push back the advance and even more soldiers’ deaths will take place.
There is a saying “Jaw, jaw, rather than war, war”. This is what the Western nations are applying now but, as far as Putin is concerned, it is just like water off a duck’s back and is meaningless.
David's Diatribe 