The February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine was the biggest attack on a European country since World War II, inflicting tens of thousands of civilian casualties and forcing hundreds of thousands to flee their homes. It was also the most flagrant violation of international law since the end of the Cold War, and marked a dramatic escalation in great-power competition that many analysts say will shape world politics for decades to come.

The Kremlin gamble reflected Putin’s conviction that Ukraine could never be truly independent or allied with the West without a major political concession by Moscow. Moreover, it was predicated on an ignorance of the profound changes that Ukraine has undergone in its three decades of independence.

In the face of a global outcry over Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine, US President Joe Biden declared that “we will not back down from defending our ally Ukraine and we will continue to hold accountable those responsible for the escalating conflict.” Biden praised the nations that have helped Ukraine with air defense systems, artillery, anti-armor weapons and ammunition. He also condemned the annexation of Crimea and said Russia would be held to account for a series of war crimes and other violations of international law.

The conflict has cost both sides a great deal of money. Ukraine depends on Russia for billions in oil and gas exports annually, while the West has imposed heavy sanctions on top Kremlin officials and four of the nation’s largest banks.