Why is Ukraine so important to Vladimir Putin?

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Media analyst 13h
Why is Ukraine so important to Vladimir Putin?

Ukraine is important for Vladimir Putin because he wants to enlarge the territory of the Russian Federation and make Russia an Eurasian empire.

The Russian “Eurasianism” paradigm shaped by Alexander Dugin states that Russia cannot be an Eurasian Empire without owning Ukraine.

This is what Putin dreams about:

“The Russian World from Lisbon to Vladivostok” is the official goal of the Russian state under Vladimir Putin.

For the last 200 years, Russia never won a war against a foreign enemy, without the Ukrainians fighting together with the Russians.

Ukraine is the largest country in Europe, with the territory fully located in Europe: 603,000 square km. (Russia’s territory in Europe is larger, but Russia is an Eurasian country, with territory both in Europe and Asia.)

Geopolitically, Ukraine is the “buffer” separating the countries of the European Union from the aggressive Russian expansionism.

  • Putin’s Russia have already de facto occupied Belarus.
  • Putin attacked Ukraine militarily immediately when Ukraine was supposed to sign a deal to become part of the EU—he can’t afford to lose Ukraine to Europe, if he wants to pursue the goal of an Eurasian empire.

Dmitry Medvedev showed this map at one of his speeches in May 2024: Russia was happy to let go of the western regions of Ukraine (apparently, Putin promised Ukrainian land to Hungary and Slovakia, to bribe their leaders).

In short: Putin still wants his “Eurasian empire.”
His goals didn’t suddenly change.

Under Putin’s FSB mafia regime, Russia won’t give up its imperialistic ambitions. Only after Putin is deposed, and a different government comes—which would be ready to denounce the expansionist strategy—only after that can Europe hope to live in peace.

And by now, the European leaders fully understand it. It’s no longer about NATO protecting Ukraine from Russia—now it’s about NATO needing the Ukrainian expertise to be able to defend Europe against the Russian imperialism.

“We are not a nation of victims, but a nation of fighters,” stated general Budanov, who is now heading the administration of the president of Ukraine (after serving for several years as the chief of military intelligence).

“We have stood firm, we continue to thwart the Kremlin’s imperial ambitions, and today we are the shield of democratic Europe. We are not asking for charity—we are demanding justice and the tools to defend the civilized world,” asserted Budanov.

  • Europe cannot afford for Ukraine to fall under Putin. It’s as simple as that.
  • And Putin put his legacy on the line in his quest to subjugate Ukraine and enlarge Russia.

That’s the issue here: Russian imperialism vs. the European drive for democracy and freedom.

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