As the war in Ukraine enters its fifth year, Russian and Ukrainian forces remain locked in a brutal stalemate. Advanced technology and battlefield adaptation have shaped the conflict, but outside support has also been critical to sustaining the fight. Ukraine depends heavily on aid from the United States and its NATO partners, while Russia draws on backing from countries such as China, Iran, and North Korea. Still, these relationships come with their own limitations and tensions. In this episode, experts outline the global network sustaining both sides of the war and what shifting alliances could mean for the conflict’s next phase and the broader security risks facing the world.

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Featured Guests: 

Liana Fix (Senior Fellow for Europe, CFR) 

Joseph Torigian (Senior Fellow for Asia Studies, CFR)

Why It Matters is a production of the Council on Foreign Relations. The opinions expressed on the show are solely those of the host and guests, not of the Council, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.