On February 24th, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since the initial invasion, the Russian army has made significant advances on the capital Kyiv and several other major cities. This invasion has shocked the world and has resulted in a level of violence that has rarely been seen in Europe since the Second World War. Tragically, many civilians have lost their lives and the conflict continues more than two weeks later without a clear end in sight.

This first episode of Season 4 of the Oxford Policy Pod will break down the current military conflict in Ukraine with award-winning war historian Professor Margaret MacMillan. She is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto and the University of Oxford. Her publications have been translated into over 26 languages. Our conversation with Professor MacMillan addresses the key geopolitical and historical dynamics driving the conflict, explores how nations on either side should respond, and considers the lessons that history teaches us about securing peace.

This episode was created by students at the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government and is hosted by Alec Greven. The episode was supported by Logan Williams and Harry Kirk and our executive producers Livey Beha and Read Leask. To keep up with our latest episodes, follow us on Instagram @OxfordPolicyPod_ and Twitter @OxfordPolicyPod.