The Russian invasion of Ukraine will likely be one of the most important events of the relatively young 21st century, upending decades of relative stability between European states. While its effects on geopolitics, markets, and elections remain to be seen, the invasion will also likely continue to widen the growing divide on the American right. A small but increasingly visible and potentially influential faction of American conservatives sees a friend and model in Vladimir Putin. They are wrong to do so, however. Putin is not our friend. Nor is his Russia an example for American conservatism. Conservatives should know the reality of Russia’s social situation, how many of our national interests are incompatible, and how Putin’s governance is not a fit for America.
If you make the mistake of perusing Twitter or reading the comments on news pieces, it will not be hard to find voices loudly wondering why on earth we would have tensions with Russia given that Putin is an able conservative leader who has done much good. While it’s too easy to find wild opinions online, it’s not too difficult to find influential conservative figures aping these talking points. These views range from merely being skeptical of the mainstream conservative consensus to actively praising Putin’s talking points about the invasion. Possibly the most vocal in his admiration is former Reagan administration official and paleoconservative par excellence, Pat Buchanan. Buchanan has consistently Putin as a “stalwart defender of traditional values,” and praised Russia as a place that “conservatives, traditionalists and nationalists of all continents” can ally with.
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