After more than three years of intense fighting, the question of the Ukrainian Crisis evokes a range of thoughts and emotions. News of weapons shipments, drone attacks, horrific war crimes, battles in faraway places like Kharkiv or Mariupol, and a renewed struggle between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Russia continue to dominate the headlines. With all of this, it is challenging for most Americans to absorb and form rational viewpoints on the war.

Emotion often trumps reason when it comes to public opinion on foreign policy issues. Nonetheless, it is essential to recognize two key points about this conflict: one is that the struggle for Ukraine is a historical one and reflects many of the values of the United States. The second is that in many ways, this conflict highlights the fact that competition between the United States and Russia never really ended. In other words, the Cold War never ended; it just thawed. Both points are crucial for an educated citizen to consider when forming an opinion on the subject.

A subject that is just another example of American political division in 2025. Yet it is featured daily in Mainstream Media and has plagued both Liberal and Conservative presidential administrations for over a decade. At its core, involvement in Ukraine represents what image the United States wants to have in the 21st Century. Is America the global protector of Democracy? Or is it time to let other countries take their destiny into their own hands?

The 2022 Invasion 

To begin, the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24th, 2022, was a disgusting and flagrant violation of international law, and in complete defiance of treaties the Russian Federation has signed guaranteeing the sovereignty of Ukraine. One such agreement is the Budapest Memorandum of 1994, which established the precedent of a free and independent Ukraine. In return for the Ukrainian government agreeing to destroy its stockpile of Soviet era nuclear weapons, the Ukrainian people were promised international recognition of their inherent right to Sovereignty. 

In 1813, Thomas Jefferson, Author of the Declaration of Independence and the United States’ Third President, said, "[The people] are in truth the only legitimate proprietors of the soil and government.[1]” In this statement, he outlined that any government operating within the confines of a country's borders, not chosen by the people, or any government imposing its will through the use of force without the blessing of its people, should be seen by all as illegitimate and a threat to Democracy. In that way, the people of Ukraine are now and have been facing since 2014 their greatest test and are indeed engaged in a struggle that will define them for centuries to come. Much in the same spirit as the brave men and women who fought in places like Bunker Hill, Trenton, or Yorktown during the American Revolution.

It would be fair to say that in the span of a few short days at the start of the invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy’s leadership earned him a spot in the halls of history's greatest leaders. The defiant stand he and his country have taken against Valdmir Putin and the Russian Army, has elevated Zelenskvy’s status of a humble man, to the likes of George Washington and his leadership of the Continental Army against King George III, Toussant L'ouverture and his command of freed slaves during the Haitian Revolution, and Simon Bolivar who led numerous successful revolts against the oppressive colonial Spanish in Latin America.

He is not alone in this; the people of Ukraine are truly a testament to the Spirit of Freedom. Ukrainian opposition and defiance are already on par with that of the Spartans and their stand at the Battle of Thermopylae in 490 B.C.  Stories of Ukrainian citizens taking up arms in cities and the countryside across Ukraine have garnered great admiration from around the world. Tales of their heroism, pain, and suffering surfaced almost immediately after the invasion began. Stories such as that of Yarina Arieva and Svyatoslav Fursinb, who, upon saying their matrimonial vows, then picked up their rifles to defend Kiev against the Russian onslaught. Or like that of the 13 Ukrainian soldiers on Snake Island who, after being prompted to surrender by a Russian Warship, responded by saying “Russian warship go fuck yourself,”[2] and were at first reported as massacred but later confirmed as being held by Russian military forces. These and countless others will most certainly go down as a new generation of epic heroes, the likes of which we have not seen in a long time.

Ukraine’s struggle for its very existence pulls at the heart of every freedom-loving human being, whether they have faced oppression, war, genocide, or by those who haven’t and still have the common decency to acknowledge the plight the Ukrainians are facing. A plight, in all honesty, that is not original to the conflict. What is now present-day Ukraine has been invaded and occupied through the centuries by the Mongols, the Polish Kingdoms, the Ottomans, the Russians, Nazi Germany, and the Soviet Union. It should be noted that in 1783, as the American Revolution was ending, Tsarist Catherine the Great had Ukraine incorporated into the Russian Empire, citing the need for a warm water port for her growing Navy. Sevastopol, as it is known in the West, remains a clear priority to Vladimir Putin and was annexed with the rest of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014.

A Thawed War, Not A Cold War

This brings us to the next conclusion, which is not apparent to most at first glance. The Cold War never ended; the conflict just took another form: old players in a new system. The battle for Ukraine highlights this more than other major conflicts that have sprung up across the globe in the last few years. Global dependency on trade between former Eastern Bloc countries and the West may have increased, “Reaching almost a quarter of world trade in the following decade[3]” after the Cold War.  New weapons systems such as the Phoenix Ghost Drone and High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) have been created and deployed. The rise of the internet, in particular, social media, certainly means information is more accessible to people around the world, a lot quicker. Nonetheless, the players in global supremacy are still the same.       

Reminiscing About the Past

Americans throughout the 20th Century were raised to fear Communism in every aspect of their lives. Some participated in Witch Hunts for Communist sympathizers in government, higher education, and Hollywood. Some watched as proxy wars were fought in their name in far-off lands like Korea and Vietnam.  Some participated in Nuclear Duck and Cover Drills and were taught the need to embrace Capitalism and the American Dream in public schools. Some feared the threat of missile bases being built 90 miles off the Florida Keys in Cuba and heard stories of CIA missions on the island. Some were confused when President Richard Nixon opened talks with Red China through his visit to Beijing and had talks with the Soviet Premier in Moscow. Some remember the Berlin Airlift, the creation of NATO, the massacres in Prague, and the building of the Berlin Wall.

However, in late 1989, the Berlin Wall fell. It seemed as if the Soviet Union, the Evil Empire, the one the United States had had a love-hate relationship with since 1922, suddenly seemed to vanish overnight. It was replaced with the Russian Federation in the 1990s under Boris Yeltsin. During his tenure, “the Russian government failed to implement protections, regulations, and a capitalist culture before attempting to privatize, leading to a chaotic and dangerous situation that allowed for “crony capitalism”[4]. In a sense, the chaos of reforms and attempts at Democratization led to the system of Oligarchs that allowed Vladimir Putin to come to power in 2000 and then again in 2012.

Russia in 2025

Russia in 2025 looks very much as it did when the Soviet Union existed. Political opponents to the Putin Regime are imprisoned, elections are being accused of being rigged, government transparency does not exist, and freedom of the press is severely limited. Meanwhile, Putin has given speeches glorifying and often over exaggerating Russia's place in World History. More than his rhetoric, he has removed Russia from numerous nuclear disarmament treaties and has increased Russian nuclear stockpiles and delivery systems.

So, while it may not be the spread of Russian style Communism, but rather the spread of Russian Authoritarianism, Americans should be worried about it. This makes the precariousness of the situation even more real due to fears that Putin could expand his conquest of other countries in the region. In addition, Putin has not taken the use of nuclear weapons off the table. Former Russian Defense Minister and now Secretary of the Russian Security Council Sergei Shoigu stated in early 2025 that Russia “reserves the right to use nuclear weapons”[5] when confronting threats from the West.

The United States in 2025

What about the United States? Americans, by default, became the victors of the Cold War. The 1990’s, for the most part, was a decade of peace and prosperity. There was the Gulf War, the intervention in Somalia, and participation in NATO’s efforts in Bosnia and Kosovo. There was a recession early on in the decade, but by 1999, the GDP had risen to 9.90 trillion dollars.

The following two decades would be marked by the attacks of September 11th, 2001, which led to a moment of unity, and then a bloody twenty-year-long war on terror. The invasions of Afghanistan and later Iraq would mark the beginning of a new age in Warfare. They also challenged the idea of American invincibility. Politically, the country flip-flopped between Republican and Democratic control of the White House and Congress. The economy fluctuated after the Dot.com Bubble Crash of 2000 and the Great Recession of 2007-2009. Social justice movements such as #MeToo, Black Lives Matter, and Occupy questioned what it meant to be an American and what issues voters were contemplating. The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 impacted millions of Americans and brought the country to a halt. At the same time, it sparked questions over science and the government's role in daily life. The attacks on the Capitol on January 6th demonstrated a deep divide in political ideals. 

The Impact of the 2024 Presidential Election

During the 2024 Presidential Election. Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden and later his replacement Vice President Kamal Harris openly spoke about supporting Ukraine with military and financial aid. Donald Trump, trying to please his Make America Great Again voting base, promised to end the war. “That is a war that’s dying to be settled. I will get it settled before I even become president…It's only getting worse, and we are playing with World War Three.” [6] Trump had not been president when Putin initially annexed the Crimea in 2014. He was also not in office in 2023 when Putin launched his Special Military Operation. Yet he was very critical of President Barack Obama and the Joe Biden administration's relationship with Putin. Trump constantly claimed he had a good rapport with the Russian leader and that none of this would have happened under his leadership.

Fast forward to the first six months of Trump's second Presidency. Trump has attempted to broker a sustainable peace deal between Russia and Ukraine that has yet to come to fruition. There was the Easter truce in April 2025, but that was violated by the Russians almost immediately.  He also embarrassed Zelenskyy during a press conference in the Oval Office in February 2025 and told Putin not to worry about the conflict between Israel and Iran, but rather to focus on ending the war in Ukraine. President Trump also threatened to leave NATO, citing the need to put American interests first. 

Shortly after his threats of departure from the alliance, he convinced other nations in NATO to commit to higher spending on defense and collective security. He has maintained diplomatic communication with Putin, calling him more frequently than his predecessors did. Now he is threatening Putin with more shipments of Arms to Ukraine if he does not agree to a permanent cease fire.

What Comes Next?

While there is no accurate account and probably never will be, as of January 2025, 12,456 civilians, 40,000 Ukrainian forces, and over 100,00 Russian forces have perished.[7] By February, the war cost Ukraine 170 billion dollars in damages[8], and Russia had occupied 1/5 of Ukrainian territory.[9] As of March, the United States had given $182.8 billion in aid.[10] In April, Zelenskyy told Trump officials that Russia had broken 25 ceasefire agreements since the invasion of the Crimea in 2014.[11]

Should the United States follow George Washington's warning to stay out of the affairs of Europe in his farewell address? Should it follow the type of Isolationism Woodrow Wilison argued for before the American involvement in World War One? Or do we embrace the role of defenders of Democracy, as we did in both World War II, Korea, Vietnam, both Wars in Iraq, and Afghanistan? What about the Military Industrial Complex and all its evils that President Dwight D. Eisenhower preached about?    

None of this is meant to be disparaging, political, or to make claims that there is only one path to peace. But rather, it all goes back to the original premise that people need to understand the history of the conflict and all the factors that go into it. It's meant to make people, especially Americans, ask themselves what is the price of peace in Ukraine? Will American involvement in the conflict affect the outcome? Does the United States even have a role to play, or is it someone else's turn to defend Democracy? How far are we willing to go to stop aggression around the world? These are questions the American public needs to ask as the war rages on and the country grapples with the question of what is next.

Ryan Reidway is a Middle School Dean in Gainesville, Florida, who has taught School Civics, World History, and US History. 

References

The DEFCON Warning System. (2025, Febuary,05). Russia’s Nuclear Posture in 2025: Real Threat or Strategic Bluff? The DEFCON Warning System. https://defconwarningsystem.com/2025/05/20/russias-nuclear-posture-in-2025-real-threat-or-strategic-bluff/

Every Casualty Counts. (2025). Ukraine. Every Casualty Counts. https://everycasualty.org/conflict/ukraine/

Gopinath, G. (2023, December 11). Cold War II? Preserving Economic Cooperation Amid Geoeconomic Fragmentation. International Monetary Fund (IMF). https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2023/12/11/sp121123-cold-war-ii-preserving-economic-cooperation-amid-geoeconomic-fragmentation

Jefferson, T. (1813, August 13). Thomas Jefferson to Isaac McPherson, 13 August 1813. National Archives Founders Online. https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/03-06-02-0322

Kottasová, I. (2023, February 24). They got married the day Russia invaded. It’s been the longest year of their lives. CNN. Retrieved May 30, 2024, from https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/23/europe/ukraine-married-couple-anniversary-russia-war-intl-cmd/index.html

Krasteva, G., & Corbishley, S. (2025, February 17). Map shows how much territory Russia has gained and lost in Ukraine since 2014. Metro UK. https://metro.co.uk/2025/02/17/map-shows-how-much-territory-russia-has-gained-and-lost-in-ukraine-since-2014-22573129/

Mutpl Market, financial, and economic data. (2025). US GDP by Year. Multpl. https://www.multpl.com/us-gdp/table/by-year

Mykhailova, K. (2025, 02 07). Russia's War Caused $170B in Infrastructure Damage to Ukraine. Kyiv Post. https://www.kyivpost.com/post/47303

Serino, K. (2024, September 11). WATCH: Trump promises to 'settle' war in Ukraine if elected. PBS. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-trump-promises-to-settle-war-in-ukraine-if-elected

Smith-Boyle, V. (2022, August 01). The 1990s to Today: How Privatization Shaped Modern-day Russia. American Security Project. Retrieved May 30, 2024, from https://www.americansecurityproject.org/the-1990s-to-today-how-privatization-shaped-modern-day-russia/

USA Facts Team. (2025, March 14). How much money has the US given Ukraine? USAFacts. https://usafacts.org/articles/how-much-money-has-the-us-given-ukraine-since-russias-invasion/

Visser, N. (2022, February 28). Ukrainian Troops Who Told Russian Warship 'Go F*** Yourself' May Still Be Alive. HuffPost UK. Retrieved May 30, 2024, from https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/ukraine-russia-conflict-war-snake-island_uk_621c9af3e4b03d0c803b9baa

Watling, T., & Ahmed, J. (2025, April 19). Putin declares truce in Ukraine - but how many times has he broken ceasefire deals? The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/putin-ukraine-russia-ceasefire-trump-zelensky-b2736144.html

[1](Jefferson, 1813)

[2] (Visser, 2022)

[3](Gopinath, 2023)         

[4] (Smith-Boyle, 2022)    

[5] (The DEFCON Warning System, 2025)

[6] (Serino, 2024)    

[7] (Every Casualty Counts, 2025)

[8] (Mykhailova, 2025)

[9] (Krasteva & Corbishley, 2025)

[10] (USA Facts Team, 2025)

[11] (Watling & Ahmed, 2025)