This is one of the best books that I’ve read this year. It provides a long history of Russo-Ukrainian relations dating back hundreds of years, which provides a basis for understanding the present conflict. It feels like not enough emphasis has been placed on this conflict in the West. This war has evolved into a truly global conflict in an attempt by Putin to elevate Russia’s global standing to that of the days of the Soviet Union. The author does an excellent job at conveying all of the geopolitical ramifications of this conflict.