Russia’s invasion is in contravention of international law and shows a flagrant disregard for the truth. Sanctions focused on the Russian state are justified, but as punishment, without much hope of reversing or deterring further Russian action. U.S. President Joe Biden is right to make clear that U.S. troops will not defend Ukraine. The U.S. military exists to defend the United States and its citizens, not to repel aggression across the world. Finally, it is a tragedy that neither the United States, nor NATO, nor Ukraine itself made a serious effort to discover whether there was a diplomatic way to prevent this invasion.
