Europe and potentially the whole world is now on the brink of war thanks to the conflict in Ukraine and the aggressive move by Russia.

So what is it that Russia really wants with Ukraine? Is it a power grab? Do they want more land?

Well, here is a little bit of what Putin said yesterday:

“I’m addressing the Ukrainian army. Please, lay down your arms. Your granddads and great-grandfathers did not fight the Nazis and defend our common Fatherland so that neo-Nazis would seize power in Ukraine. You made an oath to serve the Ukrainian people. They are a fascist hunter who have seized power. They are plundering Ukraine and exploiting his people. Don’t fulfill their criminal orders. Lay down your weapons and go home.”

So it is evident that Vladimir Putin feels that there are some people in east Ukraine that are doing some things that they shouldn’t be doing.

He’s essentially alleging that this is just a special military operation to protect Donbass.

But there is more. I think that in part, Russia does not want NATO or the European Union as his doorstep. Both organizations want Ukraine as part of their respective groups, but Russia does not want that to happen. He is against the expansion of NATO. For one, there is a security issue because of the large border with Russia.

So while many may see this as a Russian expansionism, it may in fact be more of a prevention of a NATO/US/EU expansionism more than anything else.

If I were to sum this up just very simply, Russia wants everyone to leave Ukraine and Russia alone. Don’t come any closer, don’t try recruiting them into your clubs, just back off.

So why now?

Well, as I’ve said elsewhere, many countries are weak right now, and Ukraine is getting more friendly with the U.S. and the U.K. and he’s not making much progress in the ongoing conflict in east Ukraine, so now is the time to really take control over that region.