Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has thrown that country — and Europe’s post-1989 order — into chaos. As Russian tanks and guns continue to assault Ukrainian cities in the face of surprisingly stiff resistance, a renewed sense of unity and purpose has emerged among Ukrainians — and among Western elites. Many erstwhile European supporters of Putin have turned against him, while politicians across the spectrum have made gestures of solidarity with Ukraine, both material and symbolic.

At the same time, new divisions have emerged on the Left. Although supporters of the Russian invasion are a small minority, some in Eastern Europe and elsewhere have faulted leftists in the West for underestimating Vladimir Putin’s imperial ambitions — a threat that has now become all too real for the people of Kharkiv, Mariupol, and other parts of Ukraine under Russian assault.

The repercussions of the war are bound to be felt in both countries — and around the world — for years to come. What will the war mean for the future of Ukraine? How will it impact the Left? In an interview originally published in the Croatian weekly Novosti, Jerko Bakotin sought Ukrainian sociologist Volodymyr Ishchenko’s insight on these questions. The article was translated into English by the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung.