In this week's episode, A'ndre and Ryan talk to Steven Pifer, former US Amb. to Ukraine and a career foreign service officer. Steve begins by contextualizing the current Russian esclaation, providing a brief history of Ukraine. He highlights the centrality of Kyiv to Russia's identity and what the Ukraine-Russia relationship has looked like over time. The conversation then turns to Russia's foreign policy and why Putin is particularly fixated on Ukraine. Steve provides his assessment of whether a Russian invasion is imminent and outlines a variety of tools the US and its allies can use to deter the Kremlin. To learn more about Ukraine and Amb. Pifer's experiences, check out his book, The Eagle and the Trident: U.S.-Ukraine Relations in Turbulent Times.