Another upshot of the West buying paying for Ukraine's elections is that it'll help ensure the correct fair outcome such that we can continue to ensure that Russia will suffer Ukraine will prosper
Imagine if NATO/US had spent money on, I dunno, relocating people opposed to living in Russian territory to like west Ukraine and building modern cities there. It's just weird to have this discussion over the importance of borders and land. It's probably why Americans bit this apple so fast too. "They crossed a border and they're taking land!? BUT THAT'S GOD'S LAW!"
The majority of people in Crimea and parts of eastern Ukraine, when polled, wanted to be part of Russia. To avoid war and conflict ones who wanted to remain in Ukraine could've be relocated, everything paid for, and cede the land to Russia. A line on a map changes. Wow.
It would've certainly cost less money and without a doubt less lives, so, that was unacceptable. We have to pretend Russia was like... Hmm... Like the US invading Iraq or Afghanistan or Vietnam or Korea. We weren't allowed to point out these are bordering nations which used to be all part of some kind of union... And that people might have mixed feelings on the borders of the countries drawn within their lifetimes. Nope! They all hated Russia because [vaguely communist sounds]! And also that right wing Ukrainian family in Canada who just erected a statue to a Nazi great uncle of theirs, they also said Russians are all evil orcs. So, you know, pay no further attention.
And just for the record, I think Putin was in the wrong for using military force. However, this all could've been avoided if the US/NATO hadn't been on a clear "fuck Russia's shit" warpath for... since 1917. The Soviet Union may no longer exist, but the Russians are still evil and must always pay for that thing which, even if you thought they "needed to pay for it," look at suicide and general death rates from like 1991 vs the 1980s and before. Like what's the fucking mission here? No relenting until every Russian jumps off a building? It's so fucking gross and so easily justified by people who don't give a single shit. America honestly deserves the worst possible fate for what it's done to countless populations around the world, Russia being just one.
Kind reminder: some US officials pushing for this war are descendants of people who fled the Soviet Union. For example, Victoria Nuland's grandparents. This is very much a continuation of the Russian Civil War against the Bolsheviks.
If Ukraine leadership was sane and/or not USA puppet they would just agree on the first proposition. FFS Donbas didn't even wanted independence, just autonomy to protect their culture and economy.
Also, post WW2 resettlements in the eastern Europe are proven more and more correct. Imagine the same US meddling as in Ukraine but multiply it by Poles, Belerussians, Germans and whomever else.