Introduction

The Russo-Ukrainian War has forced a rethink of fundamental axioms about international relations (IR) that many individuals around the Euro-Atlantic community, if not the world, have held for at least a generation. Its scale and complexity demand a nuanced and multidimensional understanding of its causes, dynamics, and consequences. As this introductory chapter highlights, the central objective of this book is to supply such an understanding. Organized in thematic chapters, this edited volume grounds its analysis in key concepts of IR and applies them to the complex and high-stakes case of the Russo-Ukrainian War. We focus on those concepts that have been most frequently invoked since the outset of the war, whether by scholars or analysts or in media coverage, as well as on key concepts that offer valuable insights into the war&s;s causes and consequences. This selection may not be exhaustive, but it provides a coherent framework for analysis and offers a broad overview of the main themes through which the conflict can be understood in a meaningful and comprehensive way.