May 31, 2022
Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine bears significant consequences for the global world order. Hopes of a reformed and reimagined diplomatic relationship between the West and Russia are forever dashed – as it is inconceivable to negotiate with or even attempt to reason with a country that uses phony claims of Nazism to justify the invasion of a sovereign and peaceful nation.[i] Ukraine has committed no crime, nor has it ever threatened Russia’s national security. Yet Vladimir Putin seems hell bent on conquering Ukraine and its people. Some have speculated that Putin desires to become Russia’s next Tsar[ii], or even return the borders of the current Russian Federation to that of the Russian Empire.[iii] If true, this would prove disastrous for the stability, peace, and prosperity of Europe and the world – which is why Putin must fail.
To prevent Putin’s victory in Ukraine, the West must stand united. At the beginning of Russia’s military buildup along Ukraine’s borders, there were reported differences amongst the NATO allies regarding how severe potential sanctions against Russia could be. One key ally, Germany, received international criticism for initially refusing to provide lethal aid to Ukraine and for their reported position against cutting Russia off from the SWIFT financial payment system.[iv] Yet, this all changed on February 24th, 2022. The Russian invasion of Ukraine resulted in the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States jointly imposing massive financial sanctions on the reserves of the Russian Central Bank, freezing the assets of top Russian oligarchs abroad, and cutting off Russia from the highly important SWIFT financial payment system. These punitive measures had a devastating impact on the Russian economy. The ruble lost a quarter of its value, Russia’s GDP is now forecasted to contract by fourteen percent, and the Russian stock market had to close for an entire month.[v]
In addition to the resounding unity displayed by the NATO allies, one truly remarkable aspect of the international response to the invasion has been the actions of traditionally neutral countries and principalities. For instance, Switzerland, which has been the bastion of neutrality in Europe since 1515, reversed its position and froze the assets of top Russian oligarchs who held assets in Swiss banks. Even Monaco, the famous playground for Russian billionaires, sided with Ukraine and implemented strict financial sanctions targeting the properties and mega yachts of oligarchs who frequent the principality. Based on size, cohesiveness, and strength of the unprecedented international support shown to Ukraine, it is clear that Mr. Putin’s original goal to divide the Western allies has not only failed, but massively backfired.
In the United States, Republicans and Democrats have largely been united regarding their support for Ukraine and their sharp condemnation of Russia. Major politicians in both parties have denounced the invasion and have called for increased financial and military support to further aid Ukraine’s defense from the Russian onslaught. In his recent address to a joint session of Congress, President Zelensky received a series of standing ovations from members on both sides of the aisle, as he sought to convince our legislators to provide Ukraine with additional air defense capabilities and anti-tank missiles.
Despite the unity showed by party leaders, such as Mitch McConnell and Nancy Pelosi, regarding their shared support for Ukraine, some members of Congress and conservative TV pundits have fundamentally different stances. Congressman Madison Cawthorn, a Republican from North Carolina, recently remarked that President Zelensky is a “thug,” and he later described the actions of the Ukrainian government as “incredibly evil.” [vi] Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican from Georgia, claimed that the Ukrainian “government only exists because the Obama State Department helped to overthrow the previous regime,”[vii] and that Russia invaded Ukraine because “Ukraine just kept poking the bear, poking the bear, which is Russia and Russia invaded.”[viii] Even more concerning are comments recently made by Tucker Carlson, who hosts the most popular opinion show in the nation on the Fox News Network. He recently asked his loyal viewers to question why the Washington establishment automatically wants the American people to hate Vladimir Putin. Carlson asked his viewers to consider if “Putin [has] called me a racist? Has he threatened to get me fired for disagreeing with him? Has he shipped every middle-class job in my town to Russia? Did he manufacture a worldwide pandemic that wrecked my business and kept me indoors for two years? Is he teaching my children to embrace racial discrimination? Is he making fentanyl? Is he trying to snuff out Christianity?”[ix] Carlson’s obscene mistruths must be immediately called out and condemned, for if these prominent political figures continue to parrot and promote Russian talking points which aim to turn public opinion against the Ukrainian people and its government, there is a severe risk that some Americans may end up believing it. Joseph Goebbels, the man responsible for the propaganda of the Nazi Regime, once infamously proclaimed that “if you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.”[x] How do we defeat Putin’s big lie? How do we prevent the American people from believing it? The answer is simple. We must effectively communicate to the American public why the war in Ukraine matters, and what the Ukrainian people are truly fighting for.
President Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine is a despicable attack on a peaceful, independent, and sovereign nation. But it is also a despicable attack on democracy itself. Democracy is the system of government for which our soldiers have been fighting to preserve, protect, defend, and promote for generations. The rights to choose our own representatives, to advocate and vote for whatever and whomever we believe in, and to be free from the fear of repression are enshrined in our founding documents and are sacrosanct to who we are as Americans. When one looks at Ukraine, they see a nation that wants to choose its own future, its own destiny, and its own form of government absent the intimidation and coercive tactics of the Kremlin. How can anyone in good faith deny Ukraine’s quest for freedom? Moreover, how can anyone oppose Ukraine’s pursuit for peace? A peace for which every single American is currently taking for granted? A peace which allows us to raise a family, start a business, pursue a degree, and choose our own line of work? It is completely unfathomable that any decent American citizen could oppose such a request. Therefore, it is up to all of us, as Americans, to support and rally behind the Ukrainian government and its people as they fight for their survival and for the future of their homeland.
[i] “Putin Claims ‘Denazification’ to Justify Russia’s Attack on Ukraine, Experts Say.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 24 Feb. 2022, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/putin-claims-denazification-justify-russias-attack-ukraine-experts-say-rcna17537.
[ii] “What Does Putin Really Want?” POLITICO, https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/02/25/putin-russia-ukraine-invasion-endgame-experts-00011652.
[iii] “Vladimir Putin ‘Inspired by Borders of Old Russian Empire’, Expert Says.” Mirror, 24 Feb. 2022, https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/vladimir-putin-inspired-borders-old-26320840.
[iv] Burchard, Hans von der. “Pressure Mounts on Germany to Drop Rejection of Swift Ban for Russia.” POLITICO, POLITICO, 26 Feb. 2022, https://www.politico.eu/article/pressure-on-germany-to-drop-opposition-to-russia-swift-ban-ukraine-war/.
[v] Riley, Charles. “Russia’s Stock Market Reopens after Month-Long Closure.” CNN, Cable News Network, 24 Mar. 2022, https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/24/investing/russia-stocks-market/index.html.
[vi] Zanona, Melanie, and Manu Raju. “GOP Backlash Grows over Cawthorn’s Zelensky Insult.” CNN, Cable News Network, 19 Mar. 2022, https://us.cnn.com/2022/03/18/politics/madison-cawthorn-republican-reaction/index.html.
[vii] Farley, Robert. “Marjorie Taylor Greene Parrots Russian Talking Point on Ukraine.” FactCheck.org, 22 Mar. 2022, https://www.factcheck.org/2022/03/marjorie-taylor-greene-parrots-russian-talking-point-on-ukraine/.
[viii] Griffiths, Brent D. “Marjorie Taylor Greene Questions Whether US Funding for Ukraine Will Fall ‘into the Hands of Nazis’.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 22 Mar. 2022, https://www.businessinsider.com/mtg-questions-whether-us-funding-for-ukraine-will-fall-into-the-hands-of-nazis-2022-3.
[ix] Lemon, Jason. “Kinzinger Rips Tucker Carlson after Russia’s Atrocities in Ukraine Revealed.” Newsweek, Newsweek, 3 Apr. 2022, https://www.newsweek.com/kinzinger-rips-tucker-carlson-after-russias-atrocities-ukraine-revealed-1694535.
[x] “Joseph Goebbels: On The ‘Big Lie.’” Joseph Goebbels On the “Big Lie”, https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/joseph-goebbels-on-the-quot-big-lie-quot.
Image Credits: Ukrinform/dpa
Policy & Political Review 