Surrounding Russia with NATO allies was also illegal, immoral, and would obviously lead to this outcome, which is what they wanted because now the military industrial complex profits hugely as they siphon gobs of tax dollars and offload a bunch of product they don't even want.

Regurgitating Kremlin propaganda talking points again. Defense cooperation against Russia is an existential question for Eastern Europeans. That you're drawing an equivalence between Russia's genocidal war of choice and NATO membership of EE is idiotic. No one will be attacking a country with thousands of strategic nukes. EE has seen many rounds of forced Russification (even Poland), mass deportation and murder under Russian occupation in history.

The sanctions combined with COVID protocol crippled established supply lines and the global economy. It was absolutely arrogance to think sanctions were going to work. Completely backfired and fucked everyone over, especially Europe.

The sanctions are actually working, which can be seen in the high inflation in Russia necessitating the current 18% key interest rate of the Russian central bank. The Russian private sector is dying. Small businesses are being killed by the high interest rate. Most of the large multinationals have left slowly crippling even Russia's oil industry. And Gazprom went from being a crown jewel to a loss maker last year. Resources are being poured into the military and the military industry. Maintaining the war effort is diminishing all the rainy day funds and reserves Russia has. The Russian military industrial complex is highly dependent on imports and the sanctions are making the imports much more expensive. Secondary sanctions are causing even some Chinese banks not to deal with Russia.

Europe has done remarkably well all things considered. The price of natural gas is the same as before the sanctions. Letting Russia rearm would be a mortal danger to Europe because the Russian leadership is perfectly willing to have millions of its citizens killed. You're totally clueless when it comes to Russia and EE. For Russia, the economy and the well-being of its citizens always take a back seat to imperialism.