title: Russia’s Desire for a Cordon Sanitaire
abstract: The tensions between Russia and Ukraine have escalated significantly since 2014.In November 2013, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych's refusal to sign the planned partnership agreement with the European Union triggered protests in the capital, Kiev.In February, Yanukovych fled the country, and shortly thereafter, Russia annexed Crimea.These processes intensified the strain between the two countries.In 2020, the Russian military occupied Mariupol.In 2021, an agreement was signed between Russia