The media narrative is heavily influenced by the geopolitics of the 20th century, when Russia and the USA emerged as world powers in opposition to one another. I think this is one of the things that drives Putin, who can remember when the USSR was a very strong and very influential presence. I think the attitude has changed a bit in the USA, since the narrative here was that we won the cold war and humbled mighty Russia. I don't think there is the stomach for a fight, which is why the world has tried to put an economic stranglehold on Russia.
Which might work in the long run. And that might create a concern all its own. What happens when the world can 'cancel' an individual nation?