As Ukraine marks 24 years since its independence from the Soviet Union, it is embroiled in the most dangerous armed conflict in Europe—against the Russian Federation. The stakes are incredibly high, and yet the war is still being discussed in euphemisms.
The war in Ukraine, we are often told, is a “civil war” involving “rebels” fighting the central government in Kyiv. Such restrictive, inaccurate terms greatly misrepresent the conflict, which has already killed over 6,500 and displaced at least 1.4 million Ukrainians. Too often, the crisis is talked about as if it’s entirely internal to Ukraine, a domestic affair presumably brought on by language politics, identity clashes, and historical grievances. Best, therefore, to leave it alone.
Wrong. Ukraine is waging a war of self-defense against an international aggressor—the Russian Federation—whose conduct threatens our collective security. This war is now 18 months old, and we should know better by now.
