Today, the world marks the tragic anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The good news is that Ukraine won the first year of this war. The bad news is that the war continues, with no plans from Russian leader Vladimir Putin to retreat or negotiate. He’s playing a long game, expecting the collective West to eventually lose interest. We cannot allow that to happen. Indeed, it is in America’s interest to stay the course and help Ukraine achieve victory.
He’s playing a long game, expecting the collective West to eventually lose interest.
Ukrainian soldiers astonished the world last year by stopping Russia’s assault on Kyiv, liberating over half of the territory once held by Russian occupiers, and thwarting Putin’s attempt to overthrow President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukraine’s democracy. By providing weapons and economic aid, the U.S., NATO and other democracies have played a critical role in helping Ukrainians achieve these victories.
The U.S. has been able to help the Ukrainians so effectively because of a broad bipartisan consensus. But signs of weariness and cynicism are beginning to appear. Isolationists on both the right and the left are calling into question the wisdom of bolstering Ukrainians in their fight against tyranny — and their complaints may well find some traction among Americans who perhaps do not understand why we should expend so much effort to help Ukrainians liberate their country, especially when we have so many problems at home.
Some critics are trying to frame this conflict as a repeat of the wars that punctuated European history for centuries, wars over territory and resources, which should be none of our business. I disagree. This is a fight over values. An autocratic Russia invaded a democratic Ukraine. After 30 years of independent Ukraine, Russia is trying to recolonize its neighbor and annex large territories, violating a foundational norm in the U.N. Charter in defense of sovereignty. The Russian way…
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