Serhii Plokhy

In Russia, we see the strengthening of the autocratic regime under Vladimir Putin. That, if you look deeper, these are the processes that put the two countries on the collision course.

The war started in February of 2014 with the Russian takeover of Crimea by military force, right? The so-called Green Man. And the big question is why? It's very important to go back to the year 2013 and the start of the protests and the story of the Ukraine signing an association agreement with the European Union. From what we understand today, the Ukrainian government under President Yanukovych

The war started in February of 2014 with the Russian takeover of Crimea by military force, right? The so-called Green Man. And the big question is why? It's very important to go back to the year 2013 and the start of the protests and the story of the Ukraine signing an association agreement with the European Union. From what we understand today, the Ukrainian government under President Yanukovych

The war started in February of 2014 with the Russian takeover of Crimea by military force, right? The so-called Green Man. And the big question is why? It's very important to go back to the year 2013 and the start of the protests and the story of the Ukraine signing an association agreement with the European Union. From what we understand today, the Ukrainian government under President Yanukovych

did this suicidal sharp turn after one year of promising association agreement saying that, okay, we changed our mind under pressure from Moscow. And Moscow applied that pressure for one reason, at least in my opinion. The Ukraine signing association agreement with European Union

did this suicidal sharp turn after one year of promising association agreement saying that, okay, we changed our mind under pressure from Moscow. And Moscow applied that pressure for one reason, at least in my opinion. The Ukraine signing association agreement with European Union

did this suicidal sharp turn after one year of promising association agreement saying that, okay, we changed our mind under pressure from Moscow. And Moscow applied that pressure for one reason, at least in my opinion. The Ukraine signing association agreement with European Union

would mean that Ukraine would not be able to sign association agreement with any Eurasian Union in any shape or form that was at that time in the process of making. And for Vladimir Putin, that was the beginning of his, or part of his third term. One of his agenda items for the third term was really consolidation of the post-Soviet space and Eurasian space.

would mean that Ukraine would not be able to sign association agreement with any Eurasian Union in any shape or form that was at that time in the process of making. And for Vladimir Putin, that was the beginning of his, or part of his third term. One of his agenda items for the third term was really consolidation of the post-Soviet space and Eurasian space.

would mean that Ukraine would not be able to sign association agreement with any Eurasian Union in any shape or form that was at that time in the process of making. And for Vladimir Putin, that was the beginning of his, or part of his third term. One of his agenda items for the third term was really consolidation of the post-Soviet space and Eurasian space.

And not membership in NATO, not membership in European Union. But association agreement with European Union meant that that post-Soviet space would have to exist under Moscow's control, but without Ukraine, the second largest post-Soviet republic. The republic on whose vote depended the continuing existence of the Soviet Union and whose vote ended, in many ways, the existence of the Soviet Union.

And not membership in NATO, not membership in European Union. But association agreement with European Union meant that that post-Soviet space would have to exist under Moscow's control, but without Ukraine, the second largest post-Soviet republic. The republic on whose vote depended the continuing existence of the Soviet Union and whose vote ended, in many ways, the existence of the Soviet Union.

And not membership in NATO, not membership in European Union. But association agreement with European Union meant that that post-Soviet space would have to exist under Moscow's control, but without Ukraine, the second largest post-Soviet republic. The republic on whose vote depended the continuing existence of the Soviet Union and whose vote ended, in many ways, the existence of the Soviet Union.

That is broadly background, but also there are, of course, personalities. There are also their beliefs. The readings of history and all of that became part of the story. But if you look at that geopolitically, the association agreement is putting Ukraine outside of the Russian sphere of influence.

That is broadly background, but also there are, of course, personalities. There are also their beliefs. The readings of history and all of that became part of the story. But if you look at that geopolitically, the association agreement is putting Ukraine outside of the Russian sphere of influence.

That is broadly background, but also there are, of course, personalities. There are also their beliefs. The readings of history and all of that became part of the story. But if you look at that geopolitically, the association agreement is putting Ukraine outside of the Russian sphere of influence.

The response was an attempt to topple the government in Kyiv that clearly was going to sign that agreement, to take over Crimea and to help to deal with a lot of issues within Russia itself and boost the economy. the popularity of the president, and it certainly worked in that way as well. Once Ukraine, still after Crimea, continued on its path, then the next step started

The response was an attempt to topple the government in Kyiv that clearly was going to sign that agreement, to take over Crimea and to help to deal with a lot of issues within Russia itself and boost the economy. the popularity of the president, and it certainly worked in that way as well. Once Ukraine, still after Crimea, continued on its path, then the next step started

The response was an attempt to topple the government in Kyiv that clearly was going to sign that agreement, to take over Crimea and to help to deal with a lot of issues within Russia itself and boost the economy. the popularity of the president, and it certainly worked in that way as well. Once Ukraine, still after Crimea, continued on its path, then the next step started

so-called hybrid warfare in Donbas. But again, unlike Crimea, from what I understand, Russia was not really looking forward to taking possession of Donbas. Donbas was viewed as the way how to influence Ukraine to stop it from drift toward the West.