Russia’s War in Ukraine Goes Global

The reason it’s desirable to contain foreign aggression quickly and with an overwhelming commitment is that, when those conflicts fester, they tend to sprawl. Joe Biden’s failure to adequately support Ukraine’s defense provides us with a timely reminder of why restoring deterrence when it breaks down should be the top priority of any American president.

This week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken casually confirmed that North Korean soldiers will soon be joining their Russian counterparts in the effort to dismember and subsume Ukraine into the Russian Federation. “We’ve not yet seen these troops deploy into combat against Ukrainian forces, but we would expect that to happen in the coming days,” he admitted.

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.

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The reason it’s desirable to contain foreign aggression quickly and with an overwhelming commitment is that, when those conflicts fester, they tend to sprawl. Joe Biden’s failure to adequately support Ukraine’s defense provides us with a timely reminder of why restoring deterrence when it breaks down should be the top priority of any American president.

This week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken casually confirmed that North Korean soldiers will soon be joining their Russian counterparts in the effort to dismember and subsume Ukraine into the Russian Federation. “We’ve not yet seen these troops deploy into combat against Ukrainian forces, but we would expect that to happen in the coming days,” he admitted.

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.