Great-Power Rivalry and the War in Ukraine

Published March 2, 2023

Putin fears a Russia that is rendered unimportant and impotent by the expansion of Western democracy. But while Russia is a declining power, it still has the capacity to upend the international order. Meanwhile, a rising China threatens the prospects of global peace with its ambitions in the Pacific.

Discussion Questions:

1. Is there a realistic peaceful resolution to the war in Ukraine?
2. Will the international order be able to prevent a war or cold war with China while keeping Taiwan’s sovereignty? 

Additional Resources:

• Read “Time Is Not on Ukraine’s Side,” by Condoleezza Rice and Robert M. Gates via the Washington Post. Available here.
• Watch “America’s New Great-Power Competition with China,” with Elizabeth Economy on PolicyEd. Available here.
• Watch “Embracing Strategic Empathy,” with H. R. McMaster on PolicyEd. Available here.