Right, only authoritarian governments are interested in conquering territory.

Russia is trying its best to annex Ukraine to itself. But it is not "Russia" that is doing it, it is the authoritarian government of Russia. When did US last annex territories?

The workhorse of authoritarian politics is tribalism. They try to say it is a competition between countries and or races and or religions. They get supporters by making them believe it is their tribe against other tribes that is threatening their very existence.

But the real fight is not between countries or "tribes". It is between Democracy and Autocracy, and that fight is happening in every country.