Ukraine's claimed $27 billion budget deficit is a realistic estimate of its defense needs

An ongoing armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine that was sparked with Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and escalated into a full-scale invasion in February 2022, resulting in widespread casualties, displacement and significant geopolitical consequences for Europe and the world.

Ukraine's domestic political institutions, governance and accountability -- distinct from the Russia-Ukraine war itself, though wartime corruption and Ukraine's EU candidacy give it broader international relevance.