Nobody want to be part of Russia except by force.
Everyone including Russian want to live in London, Paris, Berlin and the rest.
That is genesis of this war.
Ukrainian feel their economic future lies in EU.
Not in backward Russia.
Who cares about land in 21st century? Old Russia? Who gives a damn. Russia already occupy 10% of the world.
What people cares about are jobs - money - wealth - progress - technology.
Things not available in 3rd world Russia.
If today Ukraine is split into two - and people given two hours to shift - half of eastern and southern ukraine population will move out to west.
More like west -east german.
Modern man is not concerned with history - but future. Catherine who the hell - will not give russian new cars, new houses, new iphones, new holidays, better nutrition, great schools, great hospitals, great cities.
The Western Ukrainians who ideally are Polish Ukrainians are better suited to be under Polish Ruleand by extension EU . Putin has been vocal on that and has no issue at all with it. Thats where they were before part of it came to ask assistance from their cousins and were later annexed by Russian Empire and Stalin extended the annexation during World War 2 and after.
Having said that Putin and Russian elite wont let them go with Historical Russian lands the NovoRussia or New Russia in English which Carherine the Great waged War to get from Turks or Ottoman Empire.
If you know history you would know prior to World War 1 same thing happened Germany were to use Ukraine as their bread Basket and Western Ukraine were to get aid and financial help from Germany . As for the Current Eastern and Southern Ukraine it has been the most industrialized and most productive part of Ukraine .
The more Ukraine is being lied by the Western nations the more they will loose more regions .
So Ukraine minus the flanks can now join EU and NATO. I think we have a peace deal. Western Nations will be happy to hand over few fringes and take over the rest of Ukraine.