John Heilemann and John Avlon unpack why the Ukraine crisis seems to be resonating with the American public in a way that few foreign policy issues have in recent memory. They suggest that this isn’t just about Ukraine; Americans view Russia’s invasion as an assault on the international order and part of a larger struggle between liberty and tyranny around the world. Avlon notes that social media has brought the humanitarian crisis to the forefront of people’s daily lives and prevented the world from tuning out the conflict. They also cite President Vladimir Putin’s role as a geopolitical supervillain, where he has become akin to “Darth Vader” on the world stage.
