Would direct democracies have been less willing to confront Russia?
And in particular, would direct democracies have been less willing to risk nuclear war with Russia over Ukraine?
Why would that be so? My observation is that the closer one gets to direct democracy the more decisions are made based on emotion and emotional appeal. I find it quite plausible that a plebiscite driven by an outraged majority would be more than willing to fight.
See also: Tyranny of the Majority
If there was direct democracy in EU, we'd have already invaded Russia at this point. Even those who used to support Putin now support intervention in Ukraine. In Czechia, more than 90% of people support going into. It's similar in the countries around.