The US and Russia are in tense conflict over Ukraine.

Russia continues to build up forces along the border, and many fear they'll invade the country.

The Biden administration is hoping to resolve things diplomatically, but they've also put some US troops on alert and ordered families of diplomats to leave Ukraine's capital.

Biden is also threatening major sanctions.

There will be enormous consequences if he were to go in and invade as he could the entire country, or a lot less than that as well, for Russia not only in terms of economic consequences and political consequences, but enormous consequences worldwide.

Whatever happens next, Biden faces no easy options to avert this conflict, and Democrats worry that no matter how he handles this, he could end up looking weak.

So what's likely to happen with this intensifying conflict? How is Biden's approach with Ukraine different than past presidents? And really, why does Ukraine seem to come up over and over again in modern American politics?

This is Ken Hedgesad, a podcast that explores the powers and limitations of American government in a time of deep division. I'm Allison Michaels.

First, a brief history on the ways Ukraine has played an outsized role in American politics during the past few administrations.

In 2014, during the Obama administration, Russian President Vladimir Putin annexed Crimea, a region of Ukraine.

Russia, from Russia, is growing large groups of pro-Russia troops, surrounding Ukrainian bases, ordering their forces off of them so they can occupy them, more unidentified pro-Russia armed militias, controlling the streets of Crimea's capital.

Cheering crowds, greeting him, Russian President Vladimir Putin, made his first visit since Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine.

We recognize the deep and complex history between Russia and Ukraine. But we cannot stand by when the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a nation is blatantly violated.

If that happens without consequences, in Ukraine, it could happen to any nation gathered here today.

And later, during the Trump administration, the former President had a call with Ukrainian President Zelensky, a call that Trump described as perfect, but that ultimately led to his first impeachment.

Impeachment for that? When you have a wonderful meeting or you have a wonderful phone conversation? I think you should ask, we actually, you know, that was the second conversation.

I think you should ask for the first conversation also. I can't believe they haven't, although I heard there's a room around, they want the first conversation.

It was beautiful. It was just a perfect conversation.

Biden was a candidate back then, and the Trump team tried to paint his son Hunter's dealings with a Ukrainian energy company called Berisma, as unethical.

We've just learned through explosive documents published by a very fine newspaper, The New York Post, that Joe Biden has been blatantly lying about his involvement in his son's corrupt business daily.

Fast forward to today, and Ukraine has come up again, as the threat of invasion from Russia looms.

That impending threat presents a political challenge for Biden, which we'll dive into more later in the show, but the impact that Biden's immediate decisions could have on global security are more dire.

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