Russia appears inching closer to invading Ukraine, despite warnings from the US and other Western powers. Here are a few key ideas to help better understand what led to this looming crisis.
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Articles on Ukraine
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The Russian government, under President Vladimir Putin, has stepped up repression at home and aggression abroad in an effort to consolidate power within the country and on the world stage.
New Zealand’s geographical distance will be no defence against the consequences of a protracted crisis. So why has there been so little discussion about the threats?
With the failure of talks, a Russian incursion into Ukraine has become more likely. But any invasion would face fierce resistance.
The seemingly never-ending crisis has taken a severe toll on Ukraine’s economy with severe consequences for the country’s people.
The closer Ukraine’s ties with the west – especially the US – the more aggressive Russia’s reaction as it continues to pursue regional dominance.
Given the disconnect between Russia and the US and its NATO allies, it is puzzling why the talks happened at all, and what might possibly be gained from them.
The two countries have a lot of shared history, but Ukraine has a distinct and independent past.
A former US ambassador to Kazakhstan explains the strategic and economic importance of Kazakhstan to the US.
Negotiations between Western democracies and Russia over the fate of Ukraine took place against a backdrop of Russia troops entering Kazakhstan. It’s a reminder that Russia is willing to play tough.
As Ukraine wrestles with the latest threat from its larger neighbor, two scholars explain how the independent country is often viewed as part of a greater Russia – and why that inflames tensions.
When the Soviet Union collapsed in December 1991, Russia formed a bloc with Ukraine and Belarus. The region is now at the centre of escalating tensions between Russia and the west.
The Biden administration has threatened severe sanctions if Russia were to invade Ukraine. An economic sanctions scholar explains why they probably won’t be effective.
To understand the euro’s weakness, you have to look at the US as well as Europe.
Is Russia masterminding the buildup of international migrants on the Poland-Belarus border?
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to seek commitments from his US counterpart, pledging support in his country’s ongoing battle with the Russian Federation.
By waiving sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 pipeline linking Russia and Germany, the United States is paving the way for the controversial project to go ahead.
Nord Stream 2 is a pipeline that will deliver Russian gas to Western Europe – and, by extension, increase Putin’s influence across the continent. That makes Ukraine and some other countries nervous.
The Biden-Putin summit will be symbolic, rather than substantive - but there could be grounds for cautious optimism.
Tensions are high, but a Russian invasion is highly unlikely.
Top contributors
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Professor of International Security, University of Birmingham
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Professor of International Relations, Jean Monnet Professor of European Security, National University Odesa Law Academy
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Associate Professor (Adj), Griffith Asia Institute; and Fellow, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University
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Associate Professor, School of Geography, University of Nottingham
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Professor of Military History, University of Calgary
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Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
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Professor of International Security, University of Bath
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Assistant Professor and Edward and Emily McWhinney Professor in International Relations, Simon Fraser University
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Professor of History and Political Science, University of Michigan
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Senior Lecturer in Military Strategy and Law, University of Portsmouth
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Professor of International Relations and Security, University of Bradford
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Professor of Law, University of Waikato
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Postdoctoral research associate, University of Oxford
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Associate Teaching Professor of Political Science, Penn State
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Lecturer European Politics, Leiden University
