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Now I'm asking the US to send missiles to Ukraine.Authoritarian leaders such as Vladimir Putin are deliberately subverting rights and working to create a world devoid of freedom.Oleksandra MatviichukOpinion contributorWhen I started my career as a human rights lawyer, I never imagined one day that I would publicly say we need weapons and missiles to protect human rights.However, I have found since the unprovoked Russian invasion of my country that you cannot wave the Geneva Conventions in front of a Russian tank. You cannot use the United Nations Charter to stop the raping and kidnapping. You cannot defeat evil without bravery to resist it.Global freedom and human rights are under attack, and Ukraine is the front line to protecting democracies and civil liberties across the globe. The world’s democratic countries must work together to counter increasing aggression from authoritarian regimes hellbent on suppressing freedom.In 2023, global freedom declined for the 18th consecutive year, with a fifth of the world’s population experiencing reduced political and civil rights. To put this in perspective, only 20% live in countries where they have the freedom to vote in fair elections, freedom to practice their choice of religion and freedom to live without violence. I couldn't agree more with what Michael J. Abramowitz, president of Freedom House, said about the global trends we’re seeing today: “Global freedom took a big step backward in 2023. ... If democracies do not respond to these challenges, more of the global population will be denied fundamental liberties in the years ahead, ultimately affecting peace, prosperity, security, and freedom for everyone.”Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.Only 20% of the world's people live in free countriesNearly 38% of the world’s people now live in countries rated “Not Free,” 42% live in “Partly Free” countries and only 20% live in “Free” countries. To break this down further, those who have the freedom to exercise their voting rights, voice their opinions, love freely and practice their choice of religions are in the minority across the globe.Without action, access to freedom and fundamental human rights will continue to decline.If Russian President Vladimir Putin succeeds in his vision of recreating the Russian empire, neighboring countries in Europe are next, inevitably leading to conflict with North Atlantic Treaty Organization member countries, triggering Article 5 and putting U.S. troops on the ground. Make no mistake, the global decline of freedom and democracy is not a coincidence.Opinion:Trump or Harris? China, Iran, North Korea and Russia are waiting.Authoritarian leaders such as Putin are deliberately subverting rights and working to create a world devoid of freedom − a world run by despots and antidemocratic regimes. Today, autocracies outnumber democracies 74 to 63, according to the Bertelsmann Stiftung's Transformation Index.Hear my words clearly: U.S. troops in Eastern Europe are the last thing Ukraine expects. Since Russia’s invasion in 2022, our ground forces have carried the burden of the war on their own shoulders. We just need America’s support and the weapons to defend our country against Russia’s unprovoked aggression. Russian troops torture and kill Ukrainian civiliansHistory will remember Putin as an evil narcissist and the biggest kidnapper of children in the world. His army is torturing, raping and killing innocent Ukrainian civilians, kidnapping more than 20,000 Ukrainian children and ripping families apart.They are persecuting Christians who are not part of the Russian Orthodox Church, including evangelicals and Protestants, and torturing religious leaders.Opinion:Russia killing and torturing Ukrainian Christians, not 'protecting' themGlobal freedom is on the line, and if we don’t act swiftly, history will not look kindly at the West’s hesitation.Ukraine desperately needs more weapons to defend itself and the world against the Russian empire. As President Ronald Reagan said, freedom is “never more than one generation away from extinction.”I fear that if Putin succeeds in this war, Russia and its authoritarian partners in China, Iran and North Korea will be emboldened to strike their own targets. The reality is these countries are already working together to suppress freedom in their countries and around the world − including in Ukraine. We are doing the best we can to stop Russia’s army from advancing, but we cannot do it alone.Arming Ukraine with the tools it needs to counter Russian aggression will allow us to continue to stand up for global democratic values and ensure that Putin knows democracies will not go down without a fight. Democracies must win wars. Our values are in jeopardy. It is up to countries, led by the United States, to help Ukraine protect them by standing firmly against authoritarian forces. Ukraine will never stop fighting to save our country and save freedom − we pray the rest of the world won’t either. Oleksandra Matviichuk is the founder and head of the Center For Civil Liberties, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022.Featured Weekly AdAbout Us Newsroom Staff Ethical Principles Responsible Disclosure Request a Correction Press Releases Accessibility Sitemap Subscription Terms & Conditions Advertiser Acceptance Policy Terms of Service Privacy Policy Your Privacy ChoicesContact Us Help Center Manage Account Give Feedback Get Home Delivery eNewspaper USA TODAY Shop USA TODAY Print Editions Licensing & Reprints Advertise With Us Careers Internships Support Local BusinessNews Tips Submitting letters to the editor Podcasts Newsletters Mobile Apps Facebook X Instagram LinkedIn Threads YouTube Reddit Flipboard10Best USAT Wine Club Shopping Best-selling Booklist Southern Kitchen Jobs Sports Betting Sports Weekly Studio Gannett Classifieds Home Internet Blueprint© 2025 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC.
why are they so much better than during the cold war?  is it that right wing people are dumber and easily manipulated?