In July 2021, Putin published an essay titled On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians, in which he re-affirmed his view that Russians and Ukrainians were "one people".[17] American historian Timothy Snyder described Putin's ideas as imperialism.[18] British journalist Edward Lucas described it as historical revisionism.[19] Other observers have noted that the Russian leadership has a distorted view of modern Ukraine and its history.[20][21][22]