Ukraine’s Westward drift since independence has been countered by the sometimes violent tug of Russia, felt most recently with Putin’s 2022 invasion.

Russia has renewed its long-stalled push for unification with Belarus, using the country as a launchpad for its war against Ukraine and a hardening bulwark against NATO rivals to the west.

U.S. aid is critical not just for Ukraine, but for U.S. credibility in Russia and beyond.

The International Criminal Court was created to bring justice to the world’s worst war criminals, but debate over the court still rages.

The evolving views of hard-liners within Russia’s paramilitary, media, and national security establishments offer important clues as to the direction Putin will take the war in Ukraine.