Three Decades of Turmoil

Some pivotal moments that led to the war between Russia and Ukraine

1991 | The Soviet Union dissolves

Ukraine votes for independence; is left with the world's third-largest nuclear stockpile

1992 | Ukraine establishes relations with NATO countries

1994 | Ukraine, US, UK, and Russia sign the Budapest Memorandum

Ukraine to trade away its nuclear infrastructure in exchange for guarantees that the 3 other treaty signatories will "RESPECT THE INDEPENDENCE & SOVEREIGNTY AND THE EXISTING BORDERS OF UKRAINE"

1994-2004 | Under President Leonid Kuchma, Ukraine transitions to a capitalist society

2004 | Russian-leaning leader Viktor Yanukovych wins Ukraine's Presidential elections amid accusations of rigging

2005 | Yushchenko takes office as Ukraine's president

2008 | Ukraine requests to be granted a "MEMBERSHIP ACTION PLAN" to be inducted into NATO; Russia objects

2010 | Yanukovych is elected president in February

2014 | FEBRUARY Protesters in Ukraine overthrow President Yanukovych 

2014 | MARCH Russia invades and annexes Crimea

2014 | APRIL Violence breaks out in Ukraine's eastern region of Donbas, two rebel areas break off from Ukraine

2014 | MAY Pro-West politician Petro Poroshenko is elected Ukraine's president

2019 | Comedian and actor Volodymyr Zelenskyy is elected Ukraine's president

2021 | APRIL Russia sends about 100,000 troops to Ukraine's borders; Zelenskyy urges NATO leadership to put Ukraine on a timeline for membership

2021 | AUGUST Zelenskyy visits the White House to meet with US President Biden

2021 | NOVEMBER Russia renews its troop presence near the Ukraine-Russia border

2021 | DECEMBER US Prez Biden speaks with Russian Prez Putin; Putin asks NATO to permanently bar Ukraine from membership

2022 | JANUARY NATO officials say they cannot bar Ukraine from joining NATO

2022 | FEBRUARY Russia continues to build its troop presence on its border with Ukraine

Putin recognises Ukraine's rebel regions, orders Russian forces to these areas

24 FEB 2022 | RUSSIA LAUNCHES FULL-SCALE INVASION OF UKRAINE

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