It is playing with fire  even nuclear fire – to allow the war to go on indefinitely and potentially to widen and escalate.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austinvsaid that the US wants to see “Ukraine remain a sovereign country, a democratic country, able to protect its sovereign territory.” But then he added: “We want to see Russia weakened to the degree it cannot do the kind things that it has done in invading Ukraine.”

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/pentagon-chief-admits-real-strategic-goal-ukraine-quagmire-russia