Welcome to Current Events! In this edition, we will break down…drum roll, please! The Russian and Ukrainian War. In this edition, we will discuss rising tensions that led up to the war, who is involved, and the present-day effects. So let’s go right into it!
Rising Tensions
Before we discuss how the war started, we must first examine Ukraine’s separation from the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union was a vast, centralized communist state spanning Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. Ukraine’s civilians wanted a democratic government, where citizens aided in the country’s decisions, rather than the Soviet Union’s socialist state, so they broke away from the USSR. In 2014, Russia’s annexation (incorporation of a territory, property, or land into another city) of Crimea led to armed conflict between Russian-backed forces and the Ukrainian military in eastern Ukraine. Though Russia denied military involvement, both Ukraine and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (a group of countries that have signed treaties to support each other in war, also known as NATO) reported Russian troops and military equipment near Donetsk and Russian cross-border shelling or bombing. The conflict transitioned to an active stalemate, with regular shelling and short battles occurring along the front lines. When the USSR disbanded, the former superpower was replaced by 15 independent countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
Who is Involved, and How?
The beginning of the war occurred in 2014, when most of us were under 4 years old. Hard to believe it’s been this long, right? The war started with heated political threats and arguments. However, in 2014, Russia decided to invade Crimea, one of Ukraine’s territories, driven by the desire for power and land. Later, in 2022, Russia invaded more of Ukraine. Because neither country has officially declared war, some argumentatively say it has been occurring for roughly eleven years with the aforementioned threats, arguments, and the invasion of Crimea, while others think that the full-scale invasion in 2022 is the beginning of the war.
Since the February 2022 invasion, the Russia-Ukraine conflict has evolved into a global indirect conflict. While the West—led by the United States, European Union (EU), and NATO—fuels Ukraine’s defense with extensive aid, Russia sustains its campaign through military partnerships with Iran, North Korea, and China. While the Ukrainian people have received help from the USA and the European Union (EU), a coalition of more than 40 countries—including partners like the UK, Germany, Canada, and Japan—continues to provide vital military, financial, and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. The U.S. remains a primary contributor, having allocated over $180 billion in total aid as of 2025, with Germany also providing significant support. However, as of 2026, the EU has surpassed the US in Ukrainian aid. Key areas of assistance include the delivery of weaponry and armored vehicles, as well as critical funding and pilot training programs.
The Effects on Today
On January 21, 1990, over 300,000 Ukrainians organized a human chain for Ukrainian independence between Kyiv and Lviv. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine then became an independent country. NATO is helping Ukraine with the war, and so far, they have been successful. In addition, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has fueled a catastrophic humanitarian emergency, with over 9.6 million people now displaced. Beyond the human toll, endless strikes have crippled Ukraine’s power grid, while the ripple effects of the conflict continue to create unbalanced global markets for food, fuel, and fertilizer. This long struggle has not only strained international trade and global debt levels but has also prompted a massive shift toward military spending worldwide and left the Russian economy in a state of long-term decline. As of the beginning of May 2026, there are still reports of drone strikes between the two countries.
In summary, there are complex factors defining the Russia-Ukraine conflict. We began by examining the rising tensions and historical grievances that paved the way for the Ukrainian invasion, then moved to an analysis of the international confederacy, led by the U.S. and EU, which is currently sustaining Ukraine’s defense. Finally, we explored the far-reaching global consequences, from the displacement of close to 10 million people and the destruction of Ukraine’s energy grid to the unbalancing of international food and fuel markets. Ultimately, the war has not only reshaped the borders of Eastern Europe but has also altered global international relations, forcing a worldwide pivot toward defense spending and economic resilience that will be felt for generations.
If you enjoyed learning about this major current event, stay tuned because we most likely will continue this column next year.
- The Current Events Team
Helpful Resource
Current Events: Russian and Ukrainian war
Works Cited
Davis, Elliott. “Countries That Have Committed the Most Aid to Ukraine.” U.S. News & World Report, https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/these-countries-have-committed-the-most-aid-to-ukraine. Accessed 15 April 2026.
Jones, Seth G., and Riley McCabe. “Russia’s Grinding War in Ukraine.” CSIS, 27 January 2026, https://www.csis.org/analysis/russias-grinding-war-ukraine. Accessed 15 April 2026.
“The Russia-Ukraine War Report Card, May 6, 2026.” 6 May 2026, https://www.russiamatters.org/news/russia-ukraine-war-report-card/russia-ukraine-war-report-card-may-6-2026.
“War in Ukraine | Global Conflict Tracker.” Council on Foreign Relations, 24 February 2026, https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/conflict-ukraine. Accessed 15 April 2026.
