Ron DeSantis has a wide array of soapboxes.  One of them is his insistence that Ukraine is not vital to our national interests.  What Ron DeSantis and his base really want to tell you is that they don’t care and hiding your head in the sand is a terrible idea.  For such an accomplished History major, DeSantis should fully understand that the war in Ukraine (which I know he does) is not only important to economic stability and true freedom in Europe, it is a war that Patriarch Kirill of Moscow endorsed, referring to is as a Holy War.  Maybe it doesn’t make sense for us to be involved, but the last time the U.S. silently watched, Milosevic ruled in terror and before that some Germanic idiot decided to rid the world of an entire religious group.  So instead of chastising this dude for making idiotic remarks, I decided to give a little history lesson about one of Putin’s predecessors. 

Catherine the Great, also known as Catherine II, was the Empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796. She was a strong and powerful ruler, and under her leadership, Russia underwent significant cultural and territorial expansion. One of the most notable events during her reign was the religious and holy war involving the Ukraine area.

The Ukraine area was a highly contested region in the 18th century. It was located at the crossroads of European trade routes, and as a result, it was constantly under the influence of competing empires. The region was also home to a diverse range of ethnic and religious groups, including Orthodox Christians, Roman Catholics, and Jews.

At the time of Catherine’s ascension to the throne, the Ukraine area was under the control of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. However, the Commonwealth was in a state of decline, and its authority over the region was weak. This created an opportunity for neighboring powers, such as Russia, to assert their influence.

Catherine saw the Ukraine area as a valuable addition to the Russian Empire, both for its strategic location and its rich resources. However, she faced opposition from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and its allies, particularly the Ottoman Empire.

The religious and holy war involving the Ukraine area began in 1768, when a group of Ukrainian Cossacks rebelled against Polish-Lithuanian rule. The rebels, who were Orthodox Christians, were supported by Russia, which saw an opportunity to expand its influence in the region.

The rebellion quickly escalated into a full-scale war, with Russia and the Ottoman Empire becoming involved. The conflict was fueled by religious tensions, as the Orthodox Christians sought to break away from the Catholic-dominated Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

The war was characterized by brutal violence and atrocities committed by both sides. The rebels engaged in guerrilla warfare and targeted Catholic churches and monasteries. Meanwhile, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and its allies, including the Catholic Church, sought to crush the rebellion and restore order.

Catherine saw the conflict as an opportunity to expand Russian territory and influence. She dispatched troops to the region and signed treaties with the rebel leaders, promising them autonomy and protection. However, she also sought to maintain good relations with the Ottoman Empire, which was a key player in the conflict.

The war dragged on for several years, with no clear winner emerging. However, in 1772, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was forced to cede a significant portion of its territory, including the Ukraine area, to Russia. This was part of a larger partition of the Commonwealth’s territory among its neighbors, which also included Prussia and Austria.

Catherine’s expansionist policies and her involvement in the religious and holy war involving the Ukraine area were controversial at the time, and they remain a subject of debate among historians. Some see her as a strong and visionary leader who helped to build a powerful and prosperous Russia. Others criticize her for her aggressive and imperialistic policies, which they argue came at the expense of the region’s inhabitants.

Regardless of one’s view of Catherine and her policies, it is clear that the religious and holy war involving the Ukraine area had a profound impact on the region and its people. The conflict highlighted the complex religious and ethnic tensions that existed in the area, and it set the stage for future conflicts and struggles for power.

Does any of this sound familiar?  If you removed, Catherine the Great’s name and replaced it with Putin, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference in the stories.  Long story short, Ukraine remains contested, volatile and relevant.  Can you believe we once had a sitting US president say that he would have given Ukraine to Putin to reduce conflict?

By the way, that same ex-President is still willing to do the same.  I wonder if DeSantis is friendly to  that mindset.