Unmasking the Consequences: Reflecting on 500 Days of Putin's War Fever in Ukraine

The main driving force behind Russia's invasion of Ukraine is the fear of Ukraine's progress towards becoming a full-fledged democracy, which shook the seat of power in Moscow. While some argue that the war is about NATO enlargement, the real threat to Putin's regime is Ukraine's democratic and economic development, which poses a direct challenge to his autocratic rule. Ukraine's potential accession to the EU would be even more damaging to the Kremlin. A democratic Russia, on the other hand, would welcome a strong and developed partner in Ukraine.