Russia or China having to only look after itself, it's population, it's secessionist regions was much better for the colllective west. The current goal is to have them do that again. Even if it means manufacturing an economic crisis the west will suffer from too, it's still better that getting our collective ass kicked out of african or southeast asian countries. And if someone must get through suffering, it might as well be Ukrainians rather than germans or poles, so just enough material to have a stable front.

Not my thought but pretty sure it's the one coming up in confidential assessments, and I can't totally fault them if you take out the humanity from considerations.

A negotiated settlement is not surrender. This war is not good for world stability clearly, if it stopped that would be good, no?

You're arguing from a position of "this should not be and therefore cannot be". But it clearly can. You're in denial.