Russia’s actions in Ukraine fit into a larger pattern of aggression. The West needs to push back.

Russia’s military actions against Ukraine in and around the Azov Sea have triggered more than a week now of reaction. Both the UN Security Council and the NATO-Ukraine Commission convened emergency sessions. NATO member states issued statements. President Trump blurred American condemnation by saying, “We do not like what’s happening either way,” while also cancelling a planned bilateral meeting with Vladimir Putin at the G-20 and attributing the move to Russia’s actions. We’ve also seen a spate of op-eds, some insisting that Ukraine belongs to Russia’s sphere of influence; others arguing that Ukraine is vital to American security, and that the United States as a result must respond with the full weight of American diplomacy and the threat of military action.