One of the main, persistent motivators behind the Russo-Ukraine war was the latter’s desire to align with and gain membership into the European Union. For Putin, Ukrainian admission into the European continental bloc would greatly diminish Russia’s sphere of influence, and eliminate a significant buffer zone that Ukraine would otherwise pose. For several years, the EU had been resistant to indulging Ukraine because of the potential response from Russia (who had become the largest provider of oil and gas to the EU states).

Four days after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy formally applied for EU membership. And now, the executive branch of the EU, the European Commission, is prepared to enter negotiations regarding Ukraine’s admission into the Union which are slated to commence next year.

This news, coupled with Finland’s admission into NATO earlier this year marks the spreading of NATO and EU influence reaching closer to Russia’s borders, an outcome Putin has staunchly opposed. The result of war in Ukraine has only continued to fast-track the outcomes his invasion sought to prevent in the first place.