Russia vs Ukraine is becoming bigger than just eastern Europe. This conflict has dated back to 1991 when Ukraine declared independence after the Soviet Union was dissolved.  Ukraine’s land is in a strategic geographical position, being right in the middle of Europe where influence is constantly being fought for. The crisis really started in November of 2013, when former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych rejected a deal that would integrate them more with the European Union which sparked mass protests. Yanukovych attempted to make everyone calm down through violence, being backed by Russia, while the rest of Europe and the U.S. supported the protesters. He eventually lost power and was kicked out of the country.

Russia set out to salvage its lost influence in Ukraine by invading and annexing Crimea in December. Crimea being in the south of Ukraine is a strategic area offering an important entrance for the Black Sea. In the upcoming April, pro-Russia separatist rebels would begin gaining territory in eastern Ukraine. While doing other things such as shooting a plane down that killed over 200 people, they started to lose the war, and in August Russia had invaded eastern Ukraine with the rebels. This has been going on since 2014 and has still not come to an end.

The tension between the two nations has only been getting worse, especially when Russia decided to station tens of thousands of troops near the Ukrainian border and are persistently showing off their military might. Considering this, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a statement/warning explaining that if there is any military confrontment with their neighbor Russia, it would lead to “a full-scale” war and would affect all of Europe.

Ukraine recently signed a decree that will increase Ukraine’s armed forces by 100,000 in the upcoming three years. Zelenskyy also wants to raise the salary of their troops. He ambitiously urged that this was not an act of war but was just to ensure the peace of Ukraine.

Ukraine not being a member of the EU or NATO and having a pro-western government proves to be tricky for everyone. NATO, EU, and the U.S. are honed on not allowing Russia to make Ukraine crumble. The U.S. backing Ukraine is really concerning for the U.S.’s relationship with Russia. The United States President Joe Biden has warned Russia’s Vladimir Putin more than once.

“If Russia is sincere about addressing our respective security concerns through dialogue, the United States and our Allies and partners will continue to engage in good faith,” Biden said in a statement.

“If instead Russia chooses to walk away from diplomacy and attack Ukraine, Russia will bear the responsibility, and it will face swift and severe consequences,” the president said.

Russia has not stopped stating that they have no intention of invading Ukraine and Putin said the troops he places are a justified action because Russia has the right to put their troops anywhere on the land they own. Russia made many security proposals in December towards the U.S. with demands being that NATO no longer expands farther into the east or declare Ukraine into NATO, additionally seeing NATO’s troops call back troops placed in eastern Europe.

The United States and NATO have both rejected these offers from Russia, however, they did both agree to keep talking with Russia in order to find a better compromise.