Why is Russia invading Ukraine? Amid ‘astounding’ resistance, here’s what you need to know

Talk about Putin's motivations tend to focus on Ukraine's historical ties with Russia, and the threat Putin perceives in Ukraine wanting to join the NATO military alliance.

Two weeks have now passed since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an unprovoked and bloody invasion of Ukraine, killing scores of civilians and most recently attacking a maternity hospital in the besieged port city of Mariupol.

Yet while the savagery has been clear, the motivation for the first land war in Europe since the end of the Second World War has sparked questions from both political leaders and citizens aghast at the devastation.

So far, discussions about Putin’s motivations tend to focus on two related angles: Ukraine’s historical ties with Russia, and the threat Putin perceives in Ukraine wanting to join the NATO military alliance.

Both are connected but distinct matters.

Let’s jump right in.

Perhaps the most straightforward starting point is looking at what Putin himself has said.

While the Russian president has long rejected the statehood and independence of Ukraine, he has made speeches over recent weeks that offer insight into how he is attempting to justify the war.

Those largely focus on the perceived threat he believes a Western-oriented Ukraine and NATO, in particular, pose to Russia.