https://nationalinterest.org/feature/why-washington-has-lost-its-mind-over-ukraine-200513
See also this Putin-authored article from 2021 on the region’s history:
https://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/66181
H/t:
https://pvewood.blogspot.com/2022/02/why-washington-has-lost-its-mind-over.html