During the past 10 months, Russia, under the leadership of wannabe Czar Vladimir Putin, has proved President Ronald Reagan’s appellation for Russia as “the evil empire” to be apt. It is a sad irony that Dec. 24, Christmas Eve, begins the 11th month of the Ukrainian-Russian conflict. During this time the world has learned to associate the names of Ukrainian cities – Bucha, Kharkiv and Mariupol – with the atrocities of looting, torture, rape and murder committed by Russian soldiers.

Through months of the steady onslaught of missile barrages against their civilian infrastructure, Ukrainians have remained resolute. The citizens of Ukraine have tasted freedom since 1991, and they have no desire to return to being part of Russia. This year marks the 90th anniversary of the Great Famine, the Holodomor, that was visited upon them by Russian dictator Josef Stalin.

Putin personifies the Latin phrase “hostis humani generis” – an enemy of mankind. As de facto dictator of Russia, he has an advantage that Western democracies do not: the ability to wait out the West’s resolve to continue supporting Ukraine.

Should the West’s resolve weaken and the current conflict end with a loss for Ukraine, then all democracies would lose. The conflict’s denouement would not mark an end, but the beginning of a period of emboldenment for autocratic regimes to take what they want by force. Losing our resolve now will lead to potential conflicts down the road, where America will no longer have the option of “no boots on the ground.”

Samuel Rosenthal
Portland

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