Den 3. april 2008 erklærede NATO, at "NATO welcomes Ukraine’s and Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations for membership in NATO. We agreed today that these countries will become members of NATO."<ref>{{cite web |title=Bucharest Summit Declaration |url=https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/official_texts_8443.htm |work=[[NATO]] |date=3. apr. 2008}}</ref> I august 2008, efter en periode med optrapning af Georgien-Sydossetien konflikten, angreb Georgien Tskhinvali i Sydossetien, hvilket blev efterfulgt af et fem dage langt russisk angreb på Georgien<ref>{{cite web |title=Georgia started war with Russia: EU-backed report |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-georgia-russia-report-idUSTRE58T4MO20090930 |work=[[Reuters]] |date=30. sep. 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Report of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the conflict in Georgia |work=Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Conflict in Georgia  |url=https://www.echr.coe.int/Documents/HUDOC_38263_08_Annexes_ENG.pdf |date=sep. 2009}}</ref>  og russisk anerkendelse af Sydossetien og Abkhasien som selvstændige stater.<ref>{{cite web |title=President Dmitry Medvedev made a statement on recognizing the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia |url=http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/1223 |work=[[:en:President of Russia|President of Russia]] |date=26. aug. 2008}}</ref>
    
I juli 2010, under præsident Viktor Yanukovychs og premierminister Mykola Azarovs ledelse, vedtog Ukraines parlament ved lov at holde Ukraine ude af enhver militærblok og dermed ude af NATO.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ukraine's parliament votes to abandon Nato ambitions |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/10229626 |work=[[BBC]] |date=3. jun. 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Yanukovych signs law declaring Ukraine’s non-aligned status  |url=https://www.kyivpost.com/post/9819  |author=Interfax-Ukraine |work=[[:en:Kyiv Post|Kyiv Post]] |date=15. jul. 2010}}</ref>  I november 2013, under samme ledelse, suspenderede Ukraines regering forberedelserne til underskrivningen af en associationsaftale med EU.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ukrainian government issues decree to suspend preparations for signing of association agreement with EU |url=https://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/176073.html |work=[[:en:Interfax-Ukraine|Interfax-Ukraine]] |date=21. nov. 2013}}</ref>  I de efterfølgende måneder fandt regeringskritiske protester sted på Maidan-pladsen i Ukraines hovedstad, hvor demonstranter og politifolk blev dræbt.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ukraine crisis: Police storm main Kiev 'Maidan' protest camp  |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26249330  |work=[[BBC]] |date=19. feb. 2014}}</ref> Den 17. december 2013 indgik Rusland og Ukraine en aftale om et 15 milliarder dollar stort russisk lån og rabat på russisk gas.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25411118 Russia cuts Ukraine gas price by a third], [[BBC News]] (17 December 2013) {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140406083526/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25411118 |date=6. april 2014 }}</ref><ref>[http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/economic/182491.html Ukraine to issue Eurobonds; Russia will purchase $15 bln, says Russian finance minister], [[Interfax-Ukraine]] (17 December 2013) {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140125133629/http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/economic/182491.html|date=25. januar 2014}}</ref> I starten af februar 2014 blev en telefonoptagelse lækket, hvori USA's assisterende statssekretær for europæiske og eurasiske anliggender   Victoria Nuland og USA's ambassadør i Ukraine, taler om at få dannet en regering med udgangspunkt i tre ukrainske oppositionspolitikere herunder Arseniy Yatsenyuk.<ref>{{cite web |title=Leaked audio reveals embarrassing U.S. exchange on Ukraine, EU |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-usa-ukraine-tape-idUKBREA151VA20140207 |author=Doina Chiacu og Arshad Mohammed |work=[[Reuters]] |date=6. feb. 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Audio of Leaked Nuland Conversation |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/video/audio-of-leaked-nuland-conversation-162208835907 |work=[[NBC News]] |date=20. feb. 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The geopolitics of the Ukrainian conflict: back to basics |url=https://thesaker.is/the-geopolitics-of-the-ukrainian-conflict-back-to-basics/ |work=The Saker |date=20. feb. 2014}}</ref>  Den 21. februar 2014 indgik disse tre oppositionspolitikere en bevidnet aftale med præsident Viktor Yanukovych, om bl.a. at søge "en øjeblikkelig afslutning af blodsudgydelser" samt at afholde tidligt præsidentvalg i landet.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ukraine opposition leaders sign deal with government |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/21/ukraine-president-says-deal-has-been-reached-opposition-bloodshed |author=Ian Traynor |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=21. feb. 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Agreement on the Settlement of Crisis in Ukraine |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222000536/https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/cae/servlet/contentblob/671350/publicationFile/190051/140221-UKR_Erklaerung.pdf |url=https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/cae/servlet/contentblob/671350/publicationFile/190051/140221-UKR_Erklaerung.pdf |url-status=dead |work=[[:en:Federal Foreign Office|Federal Foreign Office]] |archive-date=22. feb. 2014 |date=21. feb. 2014}}</ref>  Dagen efter erklærede Ukraines parlament, at have besluttet, uden den forfatningspåkrævede rigsretsproces, at fjerne præsident Viktor Yanukovych fra embedet.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rada removes Yanukovych from office, schedules new elections for May 25 |url=https://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/192030.html |work=[[:en:Interfax-Ukraine|Interfax-Ukraine]] |date=22. feb. 2014}}</ref><ref name="Constitution">{{cite web |title=Constitution of Ukraine  |url=https://unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/hlm/prgm/cph/experts/ukraine/ukr.constitution.e.pdf  |id=Article 111, Title X |work=United Nations Economic Commission for Europe}}</ref>  Oleksandr Turtjinov blev fungerende præsident og Arseniy Yatsenyuk blev, som ønsket i telefonoptagelsen, premierminister.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ukraine Appoints New Prime Minister and Cabinet  |url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2014/02/27/ukraine-appoints-new-prime-minister-and-cabinet-a32549  |author=Matthew Bodner |work=[[:en:The Moscow Times|The Moscow Times]] |date=27. feb. 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Washington's Man Yatsenyuk Setting Ukraine Up For Ruin  |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2014/02/27/washingtons-man-yatsenyuk-setting-ukraine-up-for-ruin/ |author=Kenneth Rapoza |work=[[Forbes]] |date=27. feb. 2014}}</ref>   Protester og krav om løsrivelse fulgte i den sydlige og østlige del af landet, herunder på Krim og i Donbas.<ref>{{cite news |title=Russian Citizen Elected Sevastopol Mayor Amid Pro-Moscow Protests in Crimea |url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2014/02/24/russian-citizen-elected-sevastopol-mayor-amid-pro-moscow-protests-in-crimea-a32401 |author=Anna Dolgov |work=[[:en:The Moscov Times|The Moscov Times]] |date=24. feb. 2014}}</ref>  I marts 2014 erklærede den Autonome Republik Krim<ref name="Constitution"/> og byen Sevastopol uafhængighed fra Ukraine.<ref>{{cite web |title=Crimea parliament declares independence from Ukraine ahead of referendum  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311113632/https://rt.com/news/crimea-parliament-independence-ukraine-086/ |url=https://rt.com/news/crimea-parliament-independence-ukraine-086/ |url-status=dead |work=[[RT]] |archive-date=11. mar. 2014 |date=11. mar. 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Парламент Крыма принял Декларацию о независимости АРК и г. Севастополя |trans-title=The Parliament of Crimea adopted the Declaration of Independence of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311121541/https://www.rada.crimea.ua/news/11_03_2014_1 |url=https://www.rada.crimea.ua/news/11_03_2014_1 |url-status=dead |work=The Supreme Council Autonomous Republic of Crimea |archive-date=11. mar. 2014 |date=11. mar. 2014}}</ref>  Efter en efterfølgende folkeafstemning blev begge ved traktat indlemmet i Den Russiske Føderation.<ref>{{cite news |title=Crimea crisis: Russian President Putin's speech annotated |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26652058 |work=[[BBC]] |date=19. mar. 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Accordance with international law of the unilateral declaration of independence in respect of Kosovo |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100821055950/https://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/141/15987.pdf |url=https://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/141/15987.pdf |url-status=dead |work=[[:en:International Court of Justice|International Court of Justice]] |archive-date=10. aug. 2010 |date=22. jul. 2010}}</ref>    I april 2014 brød en væbnet konflikt ud mellem ukrainske militærstyrker og russisk-støttede separatistbevægelser i Donbas,<ref>{{cite news |title=Ukraine says Donetsk 'anti-terror operation' under way |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-27035196 |work=[[BBC]] |date=16. apr. 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Ukrainian president orders military to attack pro-Russian militants |url=https://www.ft.com/content/27275a8e-0047-11e4-a3f2-00144feab7de |work=[[Financial Times]] |date=30. jun. 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2202 (2015), Security Council Calls on Parties to Implement Accords Aimed at Peaceful Settlement in Eastern Ukraine |url=https://press.un.org/en/2015/sc11785.doc.htm |work=[[Forenede Nationer]] |date=17. feb. 2015}}</ref>  som i perioden fra den 14. april 2014 til den 31. december 2021 af FN er estimeret til at have kostet 14.200-14.400 mennesker livet.<ref>{{cite web |title=Conflict-related civilian casualties in Ukraine  |url=https://ukraine.un.org/sites/default/files/2022-02/Conflict-related%20civilian%20casualties%20as%20of%2031%20December%202021%20%28rev%2027%20January%202022%29%20corr%20EN_0.pdf |work=[[:en:Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights|Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights]] |date=27. jan. 2022}}</ref>
    
I februar 2019 opsagde USA ensidigt nedrustningsaftalen "Treaty Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Elimination of Their Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles" (INF-traktaten)<ref>{{cite web |title=U.S. Intent To Withdraw from the INF Treaty February 2, 2019 |url=https://ru.usembassy.gov/u-s-intent-to-withdraw-from-the-inf-treaty-february-2-2019/|work=[[:en:Embassy of the United States, Moscow|U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Russia]] |date=2. feb. 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Treaty Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Elimination of Their Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles (INF Treaty) |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/t/avc/trty/102360.htm  |work=[[:en:United States Department of State|United States Department of State]] |access-date=8. aug. 2023}}</ref>  efter i december 2001 at have ensidigt opsagt nedrustningsaftalen "Treaty Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Limitation of Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems" (ABM-traktaten).<ref>{{cite web |title=Announcement of withdrawal from the ABM Treaty  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030712084622/https://www.dod.gov/acq/acic/treaties/abm/ABMwithdrawal.htm |url=https://www.dod.gov/acq/acic/treaties/abm/ABMwithdrawal.htm |work=[[:en:United States Department of Defense|United States Department of Defense]] |url-status=dead  |archive-date=12. jul. 2003 |date=13. dec. 2001}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Treaty Between The United States of America and The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on The Limitation of Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems (ABM Treaty) |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/t/avc/trty/101888.htm  |work=[[:en:United States Department of State|United States Department of State]] |access-date=8. aug. 2023}}</ref>  I januar 2020, i Rigsretssagen mod Donald Trump 2020, forklarede ledende impeachment manager Adam Schiff, baggrunden for USA's finansiering af våben til Ukraine med henvisning til udtalelsen
"the United States aids Ukraine and her people so that we can fight Russia over there and we don't have to fight Russia here."<ref>{{cite web |title=Proceedings Of The United States Senate - In The Impeachment Trial Of Donald John Trump  |url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CDOC-116sdoc18/html/CDOC-116sdoc18-vol2.htm |work=[[:en:United States Government Publishing Office|United States Government Publishing Office]] |date=31. jan. 2020}}</ref>  I juni 2020 blev Ukraine "Enhanced Opportunities Partner" i NATO<ref>{{cite web |title=NATO recognises Ukraine as Enhanced Opportunities Partner |url=https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_176327.htm |work=[[NATO]] |date=12. jun. 2020}}</ref> og i november 2021 medunderskriver af "U.S.-Ukraine Charter on Strategic Partnership".<ref>{{cite web |title=U.S.-Ukraine Charter on Strategic Partnership |url=https://www.state.gov/u-s-ukraine-charter-on-strategic-partnership/ |work=[[:en:United States Department of State|United States Department of State]] |date=10. nov. 2021}}</ref>
Historie