One year ago today Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine, Europe entered into a security crisis not seen since World War II and Black Sea blockades created global shock waves that prompted worldwide food shortages.

Russian President Vladimir Putin allegedly believed his "special military operation" would take just days for his troops to storm across Ukraine and overthrow the capital of Kyiv – a belief that was shared by top U.S. officials. 

But instead, the world watched as the real time David vs. Goliath story unfolded and Ukrainian troops held strong against one of the largest, most sophisticated militaries in the world – stopping Putin in his tracks.

Basic logistical failures like fuel shortages stalled Russian efforts within the first week of the invasion, showing a level of unpreparedness in Moscow’s ranks that flabbergasted Western defense officials.

Koffler said Ukraine will only claim victory once it has repelled Russian forces from all of its borders, including Crimea, which Russia has illegally occupied since 2014. 

"Putin is just never going to let that happen," she added pointing to the Kremlin’s threat to escalate the war through the use of nuclear weapons. "For the Russians, their definition of victory is very different. Their definition of victory is really protracted war – denying victory to us."

Koffler argued that Putin’s true aim is in blocking Ukraine from being accepted into NATO, and so long as the nation is embroiled in a war it will not be eligible to join the military alliance.

The Russia expert warned that the war will continue until "the three parties come to the realization that they've killed enough people," she said in reference to Ukraine, Russia and the United States. 

"Until they realize it's time to wrap it up, it’s not going to happen," Koffler said, adding that she believes the war could continue for another two to five years. 

Kyiv has said it intends to conclude the war by the end of 2023, though this end date is appearing increasingly unlikely after the U.S. and NATO, along with Putin this week, vowed to continue the war effort.