Although Russia’s military performance in the Ukraine War has been underwhelming, that doesn’t mean we can write off the Russians quite yet. This conflict, and what could follow, should still be a top concern for the West.
Russia still has some gas in the tank. They haven’t fully mobilized yet and could still leverage allies like China should they need to, so if Western support in Ukraine waivers…the Russians could see significant gains. If Russia wins in Ukraine and reaches NATO borders, nuclear threats could come into play and that’s a spooky scenario. On top of all that, Russia’s decline means it doesn’t have anything to lose, so leadership may take extreme actions to cement themselves in the global sphere.
This means that the war in Ukraine should be a top priority for the West, as holding off the Russians in Ukraine is the best chance that NATO countries must avoid more catastrophic outcomes.