I understand what you are saying, but Kiev was at war with Russian separatists in these regions for years before Russia invaded. It doesn’t really matter if it was a “pretext” or who is right or wrong.

The ONLY thing that matters is who has possession and the power to keep it, which has been true for all of recorded human history. The ONLY country capable of militarily removing Russia is America, but we have no interest in doing so, or courting WW3.