By Will Walldorf
Is the war in Ukraine a boon or bust for U.S. power? Despite Ukraine’s remarkable success, NATO’s increased unity, and Russia’s poor military performance, the answer to that question is more complicated than some might think.
Especially in a war’s early stages, assessing the impact on the power of a participating or associated state, like the United States in Ukraine today, can be tricky business. Though not always the case, early gains in a war sometimes prove a mirage, eclipsed by losses further down the line that turn the war from boon to bust. If not careful, that could easily be the course the Ukraine war takes for U.S. power in the coming months and years.
This piece was originally published in The Democracy Paradox on March 10, 2023. Read more HERE.