If you had the choice of living in a free and independent America, which had gay marriage and abortion and accepted refugees, in which all races were equal, or a province of Russia located in the same position, in which gays were oppressed, women were oppressed, and the borders were closed absolutely to both immigration and emigration, and anyone attempting to cross was shot on site, and whites retained a privileged position in society, what would you choose?

I think we all know what they'd choose. That's why they allied with Russia. They sold their nation out to reverse our progress as a society.