There were diplomatic promises made, by the major nations of NATO (UK, US, France, Germany) that NATO would not be expanded east, any further than it already was in 1991. Documents have been located showing such.

All that the West had to do was to honor that promise. As, Ukraine cannot join NATO .... and the problem would have never arisen.

Ukraine is a nation wherein the president imprisons his political opponents and forces closure of television and newspapers that are on the opposition side.

Sounds pretty much like a totalitarian dictatorship, doesn't it? So, how is siding with Ukraine, coming to the defense of "democracy"?