Ukraine is the subject of a tug of war between the west and Russia and has been terribly let down by both, albeit in very different ways, in the months and years leading up to war.

Russia has brought bloodshed and suffering to Ukraine at the behest of Putin's vision of a greater Russian sphere of influence. For their part, however, the western countries that dominate the EU and NATO have over several years unrealistically raised Ukraine's expectations of joining these bodies, leaving Ukraine without formal allies and fatally exposed to Russian aggression.

Russia's Road to War with Ukraine is a concise entry-level account of the path to the conflict that now dominates our headlines. It offers an objective and lively narrative, peppered with eye-witness accounts, of the key moments of drama leading to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

This accessible and informative book examines Russia's evolving post-imperial relationship with Ukraine, and the overarching story of how and why that relationship soured with tragic consequences, asking:

• Was Russia and Ukraine's falling out inevitable and what were the missed chances to avert the Russian invasion?
• What was the west's role in the story regarding the support (or lack thereof) offered to Ukraine?
• Was it ever possible to build a free, democratic and protected Ukraine that was not menaced by Russia, given their geographic location?

Praise for The Great Imperial Hangover:

'An exceptional account, both personal and scholarly.' Tanjil Rashid, Prospect

'Puri has many penetrating insights into the way the legacies of empire still affect the behaviour of states and the international climate.' Tony Barber, FT