Will Western restraint survive a brutal battle in Kyiv?

Vladimir Putin and President Biden.
(Image credit: Illustrated | Getty Images, iStock)

American and European powers have so far responded to Russia's invasion of Ukraine with a remarkable degree of unanimity, toughness, and restraint. We've imposed painful economic sanctions and isolated Russia in numerous other ways, but we've refrained from moves — like imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine — that would be maximally likely to start an escalatory spiral which could spark outright military hostilities between NATO and Russia.

But will such sobriety hold through the moral turbulence of the coming days and weeks?

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Damon Linker

Damon Linker is a senior correspondent at TheWeek.com. He is also a former contributing editor at The New Republic and the author of The Theocons and The Religious Test.