[MeganC]

From Ukraine’s point of view there’s no downside to this. The Russians have already invaded Ukraine and the best thing Ukraine can hope to do is to provoke the Russians into doing something even more stupid so the world isolates Russia even further.

The end game is the toppling of the Putin regime and a return to a more civilized Russian leadership.

[Future Snake Eater]

There is one downside—if Ukraine were to be granted NATO membership, that would further provoke Russian aggression as a perception of Western expansion into their historic sphere of influence. That could get ugly.

[Mariner]

"The end game is the toppling of the Putin regime and a return to a more civilized Russian leadership."

That's not going to happen. Even if Putin is removed, what replaces him is likely to be even more fascistic.