While the very definition of democracy is a matter of opinion to some degree, the issue is not whether Ukraine is a democracy or not. The issue to many of us who prefer forms of democracy over autocracy is that Ukraine and its people have the right to decide for themselves how they will be governed. It is arguably in our best interest to support them in stopping Putin from trying to make that decision for them, no matter what form Ukraine’s government takes. But that said, Ukraine is not communist. It broke away from communism when The Soviet Union collapsed. Seems understandable that Ukrainians would be upset that the autocratic ruler of the country that formerly imposed communism on them wants to rule them again. I think allowing that is a threat to all of us. China is doubtless watching to see if the US and Europe allows Putin to have his way with Ukraine. If we allow that it seems to me the question of war with China is an uninformed rhetorical one, as is any question of who is “number one.”
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