Lots of assumptions on what would happen to Ukraine, and you are also implying that Ukraine is not an “authoritarian” (a word with no meaning) borderline oligarchy, so that’s fascinating.
But yeah, even if these assumptions were true, then yeah I think it’s better for people not to die in an unwinnable war, than for people to die and then for the same thing to happen. I’m a big fan of people Not Dying actually.