With the conflict in Eastern Ukraine still going on, what can you expect from the next round of the battle between Russia and Ukraine? This war has been raging for eight years and has already cost the lives of thousands. The Russians have piled up massive military forces along Ukraine’s eastern border with neighboring Belarus. On February 24, 2022, Russian leader Vladimir Putin launched a “full-scale invasion” of the Ukraine.

While many EU leaders have expressed concern about the conflict, the European Council of the European Union have been supportive of the Ukrainians in this difficult time. The European Union has repeatedly stressed that use of force has no place in the 21st century. Conflicts and tensions should be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue. The EU’s leaders have urged Russia to end its military actions in Ukraine and withdraw all its troops unconditionally. They have also praised the courage of the Ukrainian people.

While the Ukrainian government has been closer to Western European nations, cultural ties with Russia remain strong. Ukraine’s last war with Russian forces was in 2014. At the time, Russian forces claimed their assault was in defense of ethnic Russians. The new pro-Western government in eastern Donbas region has received little support from ethnic Russians. On top of that, Russian forces unilaterally annexated the Crimean peninsula, which is not recognized internationally.