The Russia-Ukraine conflict represents the most significant threat to European peace and security since the Cold War’s end. In February 2022, escalating tensions culminated in a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, sending shockwaves across the globe. To understand the complexities of this war, it’s crucial to delve into the multifaceted reasons behind it, moving beyond immediate geopolitical triggers to explore deeper historical and ideological roots.
At the heart of the conflict lies a fundamental disagreement over Ukrainian identity and statehood. Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a lengthy and widely analyzed speech preceding the invasion, articulated a series of grievances that served as justification for what he termed a “special military operation.” While these grievances touched upon NATO expansion and European security architecture, the core of Putin’s argument questioned the very legitimacy of Ukraine as a distinct nation. He emphasized a concept of deep historical unity between Russians, Ukrainians, and Belarusians – the Eastern Slavs – tracing their shared origins back to the medieval Kyivan Rus. This perspective suggests that modern Ukraine, along with Belarus, should naturally align with Russia, sharing a common political destiny.
Protest in Istanbul against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, February 2022. Demonstrators hold signs condemning the war.
From this viewpoint, distinct Ukrainian and Belarusian identities are portrayed as artificial constructs, products of external manipulation. Putin’s narrative suggests that the West is continuing a historical pattern of Russia’s rivals, using Ukraine and Belarus as pawns in an “anti-Russia project.” This echoes historical anxieties within Russia about external forces undermining its sphere of influence and national unity.
This belief in a shared Russian-Ukrainian-Belarusian identity has been a consistent theme in Moscow’s policy towards its neighbors throughout Putin’s leadership. It underpins the assumption that Ukrainian national identity is not genuinely held and is therefore susceptible to external pressures and internal divisions. Putin’s historical perspective frequently draws upon thinkers who championed the organic unity of the Russian Empire, particularly its Slavic and Orthodox core. This “politics of eternity,” as described by historian Timothy Snyder, emphasizes an unchanging historical essence and a resistance to the idea of evolving national identities.
The significance that Putin and the Russian elite place on this notion of unity is key to understanding the origins of the current war. It explains why Moscow was prepared to risk a major conflict despite the fact that neither Ukraine nor NATO posed an immediate military threat to Russia itself. Russia’s ambitions extend beyond simply preventing Ukraine’s membership in NATO. Instead, they encompass a broader desire to exert political, military, and economic dominance over Ukraine, ensuring it remains firmly within Russia’s sphere of influence and aligned with its vision of regional order.
Understanding the “why” behind the Russia-Ukraine war requires looking beyond immediate geopolitical factors and examining the deeper historical and ideological narratives that shape Russia’s perspective. These narratives, centered on identity, unity, and historical destiny, provide crucial context for interpreting Russia’s actions and the ongoing conflict.
