阻止北約東擴
Russia’s clashes with the West have centered on one country which has been a particular hotspot for confrontation in recent years: Ukraine.
近年來，俄羅斯與西方的衝突聚焦在衝突引爆點烏克蘭。
clash(n.)衝突;打鬥;爭論;爭執=conflict=confrontationcenter on 以～為中心confrontation(n.)對抗、衝突、對峙、爭論
A prime issue right now is whether Ukraine could one day become a member of the Western military alliance NATO, a possibility Russia fiercely opposes.
目前主要問題是，在俄羅斯的強烈反對下，烏克蘭是否有可能成為西方軍事同盟北大西洋公約組織（NATO）的成員。
prime(adj.)首要的;主要的、品質最好的;一流的prime beef上等牛肉whether(conj.)是否=ifalliance(n.)同盟;結盟a military alliance軍事同盟NATO北大西洋公約組織(North Atlantic Treaty Organization的縮寫)fiercely=firmly=strongly強硬地;堅決地
Putin has made it clear he believes the breakup of the Soviet Union was a disaster for Russia, describing it as the “greatest geopolitical tragedy” of the 20th century.
普丁表明，他認為蘇聯的解體對俄羅斯來說是場災難，稱其為20世紀「最大的地緣政治悲劇」。
make it clear that…表明;講清楚describe…as… 把～形容為～geopolitical(adj.)地緣政治的geopolitics(n.)地緣政治
Ukraine holds particular importance for Russia, as it stands as a bulwark between Russia and the eastern EU states.
烏克蘭對俄羅斯特別重要，因為它是俄國與東歐國家之間的軍事堡壘。
as(conj.)因為=becausebulwark(n.)=defensive wall堡壘
Last month, Russia laid out several demands to the West on Ukraine.
上個月，俄羅斯向西方針對烏克蘭提出了幾項要求。
lay out(通常用書寫的方式)向…清楚地解釋demand(n.)(v.)強烈要求;堅決的請求
In the document, it demanded that the US block further eastward expansion of NATO and not allow former Soviet states to join the alliance.
在文件中，俄國要求美國必須阻止北約進一步東擴，且不得允許前蘇聯國家加入北約。
demand that S (should) RV 強烈、堅決要求某人(應該)做…
In recent months, tensions have risen even further amid reports of over 100,000 Russian troops assembling at the border around Ukraine, sparking fears that Russia is preparing to invade the country, echoing its illegal annexation and occupation of Crimea in 2014.
近幾個月，有報導指出，超過10萬名俄羅斯士兵在烏克蘭邊境集結，引發俄國準備入侵烏克蘭的擔憂，也令人想起2014年俄國非法吞併和佔領克里米亞的往事。
tension(n.)緊張局勢assemble(v.)集合;聚集=gathersparking…=which sparked…引起;激起echo(v.)使聯想起;使産生似曾相識的感覺annexation(n.)吞併occupation(n.)佔領
Russia has, however, repeatedly denied that it has any such plans in store, saying it has a right to place troops where it wants within its own territory.
不過，俄羅斯一再否認有類似計劃，表示有權在自家領土內的任何地方部署軍隊。
in store儲備著;儲藏著;(比喻)即將要發生have sth. in store未來會有;將來會發生什麼territory(n.)領土
Tony Brenton, a former British ambassador to Russia, expressed that both Russia and the US want to avoid a military confrontation.
英國前駐俄大使布倫頓表示，俄美雙方都希望避免軍事衝突。
ambassador(n.)大使a military confrontation軍事衝突
He said Moscow just wants its interests accommodated, while US President Joe Biden regards China as the core security challenge to the United States, not Russia.
他說，莫斯科只是希望其利益得到照顧，而美國總統拜登則將中國視為美國的首要安全威脅，而不是俄羅斯。
accommodate(v.)為⋯⋯提供方便、滿足⋯⋯所需regard A as B把…視作…
Angela Stent, director emerita of Georgetown University’s Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies, says that the possibility of a Russian invasion of Ukraine stands at “50-50 at the moment,” adding that it could be a more limited invasion rather than a massive one.
美國喬治城大學歐亞、俄羅斯暨東歐研究中心名譽主任斯坦特表示，俄國入侵烏克蘭的可能性「目前為50％」，並補充道，這次可能是有限範圍的入侵，而不是大規模的。
emerita(adj.)榮譽退休的rather than…而不是=instead of…