Analyzing the dimensions of the war between Russia and Ukraine from the viewpoint of offensive realism

Europe witnessed the largest military conflict since World War II when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Examining the internal events and divisions of this country on the one hand, as well as examining the changes in Ukraine in the interactions between Russia and America and the European Union countries, on the other hand, can be useful in explaining the and military confrontation between Russia and Ukraine. In this article, using the components of the aggressive realism theory, the contexts and factors of Russia's military intervention in Ukraine, as well as the role of other effective powers, namely the United States and the European Union, in the formation of this crisis and its continuation will be investigated. The main question is, what role did each of the effective actors play in the formation of the Ukraine crisis and its continuation? The hypothesis of the research is that the expansion of NATO to the east over several decades and the lack of balance in relations with the East and the West by the authorities of Kiev, as well as Russia's attempt to increase its share of global power and regain its former power in order to become a hegemon. Europe has provided the grounds for the formation of the crisis. The continuation of this crisis was also due to the adoption of American policies in line with the erosion of Russia and Europe.