Ukraine War: Examining Western Missteps and Putin’s Responsibility

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine warrants condemnation, but that should not rule out scrutiny of the West’s role in the tensions preceding the war, the article argues.

Its central distinction is between holding Russia responsible for launching the invasion and examining the broader history behind the conflict. Analysing Western policy, it contends, does not require excusing President Vladimir Putin’s decision to go to war.

The article places NATO’s historical expansion at the centre of that examination, calling for consideration of how Western choices contributed to the confrontation. It argues that those decisions should remain open to criticism even as the invasion is condemned.

That approach rejects a choice between denouncing Russian aggression and questioning Western mistakes. Both, the article suggests, are necessary for a fuller understanding of the war’s causes.

The purpose of revisiting those policies is also forward-looking: to identify mistakes that should not be repeated. Condemnation alone, the article argues, cannot replace the analysis needed to draw lessons from the conflict.