Tell me again, why is the US supporting Ukraine?

"Throughout the war, U.S. officials have assessed that President Vladimir V. Putin is loath to expand the war beyond Ukraine’s borders." NYT 01 July 2024.

Alert Level Raised at U.S. Bases in Europe Over Russian Threats - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

If the above 01 July 2024 New York Times piece is correct... that Putin is "loath to expand the war beyond Ukraine's borders," what is the US doing backing Ukraine in the Ukraine/Russia war? The country we support, Ukraine, is notoriously corrupt, is rife with Nazi ideologues, has cancelled elections and persecutes religion. Could it be... Satan!? or maybe exploitation of Ukraine's lithium deposits for EVs...an unreasonable solution to an imagined problem, imposed upon an unwilling people by government mandates demanded by the monied class?