No doubt. Putin is a thug. Just look at the open poisoning of political adversaries, then smirk and say you can't prove it.

Still, America would not allow missiles in Cuba. Is it so hard to see why Putin would not want missiles in Ukraine?! (Of course he will make up some public explanation that does not sound like weakness, but the reality is all of Russia is VERY against Ukraine in NATO.)

You seem to expect Putin to be LESS confrontational that America was. But why would you expect this?