Putin’s #1 Enemy Is Not Zelensky, It’s Freedom

In the battle over Ukraine, we’ve been hearing a lot about sovereignty. Russian President Vladimir Putin, by invading Ukraine, wants to stop what he sees as the encroachment on Russia’s sovereignty of NATO and the West, while Ukraine is fighting tooth and nail to keep its sovereignty intact.

But not all sovereignties are created equal. Russia is a sovereign country, but it’s also a brutal dictatorship that spreads lies and jails dissenters. Ukraine is also a sovereign country, but it’s an emerging democracy desperate to get closer to Europe and become more Western.

That is what really threatens Putin—it’s not geography as much as values. Ukraine has gone in another direction than Mother Russia. Instead of looking East, it’s looking West. For Ukrainians, compared to the oppressive misery of Russia, European and Western values are a slice of heaven.

Ukraine has gone in another direction than Mother Russia. Instead of looking East, it’s looking West.

Ukrainians are fighting so ferociously because they’re fighting not just for sovereignty but for a country they believe in.

There’s a misconception that democracies don’t create fierce warriors. It’s often just the opposite. When soldiers fight for something, especially something as priceless and indispensable as freedom, they go all in. Just look at Israel.

Meanwhile, what’s Putin fighting for? To expand his oppressive misery onto other states? What kind of enticing “value” is that? What’s in it for these other states? And what’s in it for Russian troops— to force others to join their repressive society?

Putin knows very well that NATO is a defensive alliance, not an offensive one. Unlike Russia, NATO doesn’t invade countries. While there’s nothing “aggressive” about NATO, there’s everything aggressive about Russia. Free countries fear Russia; they crave the protection of NATO.

Putin’s heartless decision to bomb hospitals and civilian areas has only reinforced the motivation of the Ukrainian people. They must surely be asking themselves: Who would want to be under the thumb of such evil?

The great irony, of course, is that Putin’s horrendous aggression has backfired and moved Ukrainians even closer to Europe and the West. And who can blame them?

The great irony, of course, is that Putin’s horrendous aggression has backfired and moved Ukrainians even closer to Europe and the West. And who can blame them?

There is a fundamental principle that must enter the conversation about wars such as this one: Leaders who don’t believe in freedom are threatened by leaders who do. Putin is threatened by freedom. He’s been on the throne for over 20 years and he doesn’t plan to give it up. To stay in power, dictators like him need order and repression. The last thing they need is Western-style freedoms.

There’s another irony— because dictators surround themselves by loyal cronies, they rarely hear the truth. The Russian army’s poor performance in Ukraine is the inevitable result of a system where a leader is not held accountable, and where corrective mechanisms are rarely instituted. Again, look at Israel, where after every setback public commissions are created to study mistakes and make sure they’re not repeated. You’ll never see public commissions in Russia. Dictators can’t afford to admit mistakes or show any sign of weakness.

Ukraine is a flawed democracy, with its own set of problems such as corruption. But it had the collective wisdom to elect a brave and courageous leader who is now carrying the torch of freedom for his country.

Every human being prefers freedom to oppression. Zelensky, a former comic, knows all about freedom. It is that love of freedom that makes him such a threat to Putin, and to dictators everywhere.