I'm always a little mystified by this phrase as it is usually intended to be used as some sort of "Gotcha" towards the US and the West. Russia DIRECTLY attacked its neighbor and other countries are indirectly supporting the victim of aggression. You could term it "proxy" but how is this bad? As opposed to what exactly? This goes unsaid. Cut off all support to Ukraine and let them be crushed by a fascist Russia or start a direct confrontation with Russia?