"You Are Going To See Our Faces"

Ukraine. Alone.

The Motherland Monument also known as Rodina-Mat', a monumental statue in Kiev, Ukraine devoted to the Great Patriotic War (Composite by Hannah Yoest / Photos: Shutterstock)

“Russia treacherously attacked our state in the morning, as Nazi Germany did. As of today, our countries are on different sides of world history.”— Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky

In the inevitable fog of war, we don’t yet know the full extent of the horrors that Vladimir Putin has unleashed. But the losses are already massive, and they will get worse.

Shortly before the invasion of his country, Zelensky issued an emotional plea:

“War,” said Zelensky, is “pain, blood, mud, and death.” It is “a grave tragedy, and that tragedy has a great cost in all senses of the word.”

But he ended with steely determination.

We know for sure we do not need a war—not a cold one, not a hot one, not a hybrid one.

But if these forces attack us, if you attempt to take away our country, our freedom, our lives, the lives of our children, we will defend ourselves.

Not attack—defend. And in attacking, you are going to see our faces. Not our backs, our faces.

And then it was Ukraine. Alone.

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A moment of high drama at the U.N. as Ukraine’s ambassador confronts his counterpart.

"There is no purgatory for war criminals," Ukraine's Sergiy Kyslytsya told Russia's Vassily Nebenzia. "They go straight to hell, ambassador."

Acyn @Acyn

Ukrainian Ambassador To Russian Ambassador: There is no purgatory for war criminals. They go straight to hell

**

So what happens now, and how will the world respond? Late last night, the Ukrainian foreign minister issued an urgent plea:

The world must act immediately. Future of Europe & the world is at stake.

To do list:

1. Devastating sanctions on Russia NOW, including SWIFT

2. Fully isolate Russia by all means, in all formats

3. Weapons, equipment for Ukraine

4. Financial assistance

5. Humanitarian assistance

But that is just a start, because this morning we wake up to a world order that has been shattered.

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A ghastly night for the entertainment wing of the GOP

It would be almost hopelessly naïve to think that any of this will change the dynamics of Republican politics.

But, even by the debased standards of Trumpism, last night was a clusterf*ck for the ages. Let’s try to keep track (and bookmark) the worst:

We start with the former president himself, who went on the Laura Ingraham show, even as Putin’s assault began, and used it as an occasion to rant about stolen elections and Joe Biden.

Jonah Goldberg @JonahDispatch

Laura Ingraham says president of Ukraine asking Putin not to invade his country was a “pathetic display.” Then has to explain to Trump that America wasn’t launching an amphibious attack on Ukraine. (Which Trump thought should be kept secret).

Via Aaron Rupar:

Earlier in the evening, Trump delivered a speech to Mar-a-Lago club members in which he praised Putin, describing him as “smart” because he’s “taken over a country for $2 worth of sanctions.” On Ingraham’s show, Trump tried to lay blame for Putin’s aggression squarely at Biden’s feet, telling her ominously that the invasion couldn’t have happened during his presidency for “a very good reason, and I’ll explain that to you someday.”…

Here’s a transcript of Trump’s rant…

[Putin] sees the weakness and the incompetence and the stupidity of this administration. As an American I am angry about it and saddened by it. And it all happened because of a rigged election. This would’ve never happened. That includes inflation and that includes millions of people pouring in on a monthly basis, far more than three million people, they are coming from 129 different countries. We have no idea what’s happening and they are destroying our country. 

But, it got worse. A lot worse.

Ingraham at one point mentioned a report she heard about Russian troops making an amphibious landing at Odessa. But the former president thought she was talking about American troops making a landing in Ukraine to fight Russians, and started criticizing the military for not maintaining better operational secrecy.

"You know what’s also very dangerous is you told me about the amphibious attack by Americans. You shouldn't be saying that, because you and everybody else shouldn’t know about,” Trump said. “They should do that secretly, not be doing that through the great Laura Ingraham.”

Ingraham corrected him.

“No, those are the Russians,” she said.

“Oh, I thought you said that we were sending people in,” he said. “That’ll be next.”

To paraphrase Winston Churchill: Oh, FFS.

**

Tucker Carlson, predictably, once again sided with Putin.

Our colleague Will Saletan was watching:

Will Saletan @saletan

“Ukraine is a pure client state of the United States State Department. … Don’t tell us it’s democracy.” — @TuckerCarlson, putting in another shift tonight for the Russian Foreign Ministry

**

Make sure you read Will’s piece about Carlson in the Bulwark:

Tuesday, he impugned the patriotism of Alexander Vindman, a Ukrainian-American who came to the United States at age four, joined the military, and earned a Purple Heart in Iraq. Vindman “believes you have a moral obligation to defend his homeland,” Carlson told viewers, deriding Vindman’s objections to the invasion of Ukraine. In case anyone missed the dual-loyalty smear, Carlson added: “Your job is to take up arms in defense of Alexander Vindman’s home country, or else you’re evil.”

Will’s conclusion:

I’m very reluctant to accuse people of the worst acts or motives: racial animus, betraying the United States and its values, serving the interests of a hostile foreign power.

Give me any other explanation for their behavior, and I’ll take it. But for Carlson, there’s no longer any other explanation. This is what he is.

**

And, as a sign of what has happened to “conservativism,” Putin-apologist Tulsi Gabbard is a featured speaker at this week’s CPAC. Last night, she also blamed Biden and our allies for Putin’s aggression.

Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 @TulsiGabbard

This war and suffering could have easily been avoided if Biden Admin/NATO had simply acknowledged Russia’s legitimate security concerns regarding Ukraine’s becoming a member of NATO, which would mean US/NATO forces right on Russia’s border

**

In case you have any doubt where MAGA World is on all of this:

Ron Filipkowski @RonFilipkowski

Steve Bannon and Erik Prince say we should be supporting Russia because Putin is anti-woke and has no tolerance for LGBTQ.

**

So curious minds want to know: Does Putin’s brutal invasion change anything? Persuasion editor Yascha Mounk tweeted:

Yascha Mounk @Yascha_Mounk

I would like to think that Vladimir Putin's brutal attack on Ukraine would finally be enough to break the hold which Donald Trump, his great admirer, has over the Republican Party. I would like to think so but I don't.

But, as I wrote last night, unfortunately, no. Which simply compounds the horror. And the tragedy.

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JOIN US!

Join Amanda, Bill, Charlie, and our special guest, Tom Nichols, at 8:00 p.m. ET TONIGHT. We’ll break down the latest news from Ukraine… and vent.

Exclusively for Bulwark+ members!

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The world reacts

Brave Finland, right on Russia’s borders:

Sanna Marin @MarinSanna

I strongly condemn the military action Russia has taken in Ukraine. The attack is a grave breach of international law and threatens the life of numerous civilians. Finland expresses its solid support to Ukraine and Ukrainians and we are looking for ways to increase this support.

Brave Estonia.

Estonian Government @EstonianGovt

#Estonia unequivocally condemns #Russia's military attack on #Ukraine and we have decided to launch #NATO consultations under Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty with Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and other Allies. valitsus.ee/en/news/estoni…

The Lithuanian foreign minister:

Gabrielius Landsbergis @GLandsbergis

We in Lithuania know it very well that Ukraine is fighting not just for Ukraine, but for us in the region, Europe and everyone in the democratic world. It is our obligation not just to punish Russia for its actions but to help Ukraine with all and every means available. Now.

Exit take:

Garry Kasparov @Kasparov63

This is the snake the free world nestled to its bosom, treating Putin as an ally, an equal, while he spread his corruption. Now he strikes again, proving that you cannot avoid battling evil, you can only delay it while the price goes up. Glory to Ukraine.

Oliver Carroll @olliecarroll

Jeez. Putin delivering address just now: “On our historic lands, a hostile anti-Russia is being created.” https://t.co/HebCgDtdzD

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Quick Takes

Is It Amnesia or Hypocrisy That Fuels the GOP’s Crazy Response to Putin?

David Corn, writing in Mother Jones:

Throughout Trump’s presidency, Republicans assisted or excused their leader’s profound betrayal. They echoed his claims that any investigation of Putin’s attack and the Trump campaign’s interactions with Russians was just a witch hunt. They concocted conspiracy theories—the real scandal was Ukraine helping Hillary Clinton!—to deflect attention. They endeavored to turn the investigation of the Trump-Russia scandal into the real scandal. (Trump was spied on!) They never acknowledged the commander-in-chief had helped a foreign government conduct clandestine information warfare against the United States and that they had all gained from this attack. 

Now the Trump cult glorifies the despot who assaulted American democracy. Or they condemn an American president for being weak in the face of Putin’s aggression. Or both. There’s a Russian proverb: Hypocrites kick with their hind feet while licking with their tongues. These days, Republicans and conservatives are quite busy with both ends of that equation.

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Cheap Shots

Rich Lowry, call your office.

Sarah Longwell @SarahLongwell25

RIP all those “Trump is so unpredictable he’d keep our enemies off kilter” takes. Trump is entirely predictable. He’s predictably sucking up to the murderous dictator, per usual.