The escalating Russian Vs Ukraine situation has many people concerned. While many of us do not understand the history, it is clear that Russia is threatening its neighbours with military action. Russia has a strong military and is able to defend itself in case of an attack. Ukraine’s weak armed forces have a very limited budget and are unprepared to respond to a military attack from Russia.

Ukraine and Russia have deep cultural ties, but despite this, Ukraine is also increasingly integrating with the West. In recent years, the Kremlin-leaning Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych rejected an EU association deal in 2014, which sparked mass protests and a change in government. As a result, Russia reacted by annexing Crimea and supporting separatists in the east of the country.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has warned the West not to send troops to Ukraine. The alliance’s credibility depends on the common defence guarantee, known as Article 5, which states that an attack on one member is an attack on all members. Another important aspect is the commitment of NATO to offer membership to any European country. Russia is insisting that the west make a legal pledge not to deploy troops to Ukraine.

Despite Western governments’ condemnation of the Russian Vs Ukraine conflict, public opinion polls show overwhelming support for Russia’s military action in Ukraine.