Milada Vachudova is an associate professor of political science with expertise in the democratization of post-communist Europe.
What does Putin’s decision mean for Eastern Europe and the world?
Vachudova: “There are a couple of things that Putin has claimed that he’s wanted for a long time and one of them is for NATO to draw back but he’s having actually the opposite effect. I’ve never seen our allies so united and NATO so strong; NATO moving resources to the eastern flank. He also claims that he wants to bring Ukraine back into his sphere of influence, but this is the opposite of what we’re seeing on the ground.”