The article reviews the policies that shaped the Russia-Ukraine war and that increased the likelihood of conflict. It looks at the effects of NATO expansion and military activism, the “color revolutions” in Ukraine, the disposition of Crimea, the rebellions in Ukraine’s east, the Minsk process, Putin’s revisionism, Russia’s security concerns, and how the USA and Europe responded to the intensifying friction between Moscow and Kyiv. Through this close examination of the policies conditioning the conflict, this analysis aims to identify potential “exit ramps” for all involved.