LyrArc Article Gist
A recent WSJ report on the miscalculations on all sides on Ukraine show the errors by presidents Bush and Obama and German chancellor Merkel that created the situation that led to war in Ukraine- Ukraine not outside or inside but somewhere in the middle for joining NATO. This WSJ editorial says Obama policies reinforced by Angela Merkel's policies as four term German chancellor is one reason Mr. Putin was emboldened to launch the invasion of Ukraine. 

Looking even further one sees American and German leaders integrating the economies of the US and Germany with that of China and Russia which also is one reason for emboldening Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. Considering that Russian and Chinese leaders joined in a "no limits" alliance during Putin's visit to Beijing for the winter Olympics just before the invasion. Both Russia and China saw their countries as rivals to the US and European Union in political and economic terms even as Merkel and Bush-Obama supported growing integration of the US and EU economies with Russia and China, and saw no problem with that.