What is Putin's problem with Ukraine?

No. It's distraction away from Taiwan and the South China Sea. IMHO

He's trying to break NATO and with the spineless moves this Democrat administration is doing he will succeed  . Germany is whimpering because of a foolish economic alliance with Russia and Biden's cowardice display in Afghanistan has put a lot of small countries on notice that we aren't the protectors of freedom they signed up for . Now the EU is going to have separate talks with Russia and China tomorrow  which is an indication someone is playing with the idea that NATO isn't the big boy on the street anymore and they will be the new guys on the block  . This happened with France a few years back when they wouldn't let us use their airspace for flights to bring armaments to another country so I'm guessing the Europeans , probably led by France and Germany ,are trying to flex their muscles in Americas face . Nice payback for saving and protecting their freedoms all these years with American blood and money but it was due as these things we did for them are ancient history to the woke children of today's world .
Let them have it and let them wallow in the misery they are carving out for themselves .  We are better off here ,spending our money on our own country and arming up against them all . I'm tired of their insolence and the Europeans living off the American taxpayers backs  .

I think his problem boils down to one thing:

His Chin masters are telling him to do this.

It helps China. Because all of what Russia now buys from American companies - like electronics - once Putin embargoes such imports, they'll just get it from China, where most of it is made anyway.

Then, a pointless war, the kind DemocRats so love, will burn up what's left of our resources. Bringing us to collapse much faster.

It's political, economic and military suicide, done by order of the true leader of the DemocRat Party, Xi.

Just watching the so called Biden Pentagon spokesmen John Kerry trying to make light that Putin told Biden that he's going to attack the Ukraine this wed . Km wondering what Biden and his band of Jello molded warriors will do if , say , China decides to take on Taiwan the same day ? I'd do it if I were them , they've got nothing to lose and we certainly wouldn't stop them .
Biden and his regime must go - this escalation because we have woke Democrats in power is very dangerous .

IMO, it's a crock -- nothing but diversion away from what China is doing in the Far East. Watch it.

"Thanks for the heads up!"