Of a democracy in Europe being invaded by an autocratic neighbor since WW2, not a meaningless strip of land. A democracy of around 40 million people trying to preserve their own right to self determination and serve as a bulwark against further Putin expansionism.

But I don’t see how we can simply ignore property rights, whether Russia’s now or maybe China’s in a few years. It could set off a tit-for-tat, not just with Russia, but any country objecting to our actions. What’s to prevent India from freezing and seizing American assets because they accuse us of supporting a massacre in Gaza? I can’t see how we can even think about doing it without some form of due process. Whatever we think of the Russian govt, or oligarchs and their companies, they have the same property rights as any other non-US person.

It sounds like a very convenient, expedient way to side-step political differences, and I think it will be disastrous if we abandon Ukraine, but I agree that we need to tread very carefully (Europe too). Expedience is no substitute for rule of law.