Putin acted out of hubris and "didn't get the politics of Ukraine right" when he decided to invade, says Michael Kimmage, an academic who formerly served at the State Department.
Israel is keeping good ties with ally Putin, as well as with Ukraine. But the owners of Jerusalem's Putin Pub, a bar for Russian-speaking immigrants, erased his name when Russia invaded Ukraine.
The invasion of Ukraine occurred despite weeks of diplomatic efforts, including calls between President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin and European leaders' visits to Putin in Moscow.
The two leaders spoke by phone for roughly an hour after the State Department ordered most of its embassy staff in Kyiv to leave. U.S. officials are concerned a Russian invasion is imminent.
While France is a major player in NATO, President Macron has also been actively pushing for dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two are set to meet Monday one-on-one.
Russia forced the West into a flurry of diplomacy this week with its massive troop buildup on its border with Ukraine. Here's a short guide to what the Kremlin wants.
When Vladimir Putin assumed power in 1999, he immediately sent the Russian military into Chechnya. For more than 20 years, Putin has repeatedly looked to the military to strengthen his rule.