Europe, Russia , Power & Security Putin’s motivation behind the attack on Ukraine

With Russia’s large-scale attack on Ukraine, peace in Europe has been shattered. Russian President Vladimir Putin has shrugged off sanctions and condemnation from around the globe and warned countries that any attempt to interfere in the invasion would lead to “consequences you have never seen,” appearing to threaten nuclear war. What are his motivations and why did he act at this moment in time?

Penn Today spoke with Michael C. Horowitz, director of Perry World House and the Richard Perry Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, to get his take on Putin’s shocking decision to invade Ukraine. Horowitz is the author of “The Diffusion of Military Power: Causes and Consequences for International Politics,” and the co-author of “Why Leaders Fight.”

Now that we know that Putin’s NATO complaints weren’t genuine, what do you think his motivations are to invade Ukraine?

The best evidence we have now suggests that Putin believes that an independent, democratic Ukraine is a threat to him and to Russia. Unfortunately, he’s decided that the only way to deal with that threat is through the use of overwhelming military force.

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