Yes, the ‘tyranny of geography’ works to make Ukraine vital to the Russians but essentially secondary to us. And yes, “the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must,” but this can—or should be—allayed by wider, convergent interests which can intermediate the rough edges of geographical proximity and power politics. There’s a lot at stake.

James Clad is a former US deputy assistant secretary of defense; Robert A. Manning is a senior fellow of the Brent Scowcroft Center for International Security at the Atlantic Council. He served as a member of the US Department of State Policy Planning Staff from 2004 to 2008, and on the National Intelligence Council from 2008-12. He tweets at@RAMEAP.

Image: Wikimedia Commons/Anton Holoborodko. CC BY-SA 3.0.