Putin's imperial ambitions are a threat to the American-led world order

Earlier this month, United States officials released intelligence confirming Russia’s next target is the small Eastern European country Moldova. The Kremlin would like to foster political destabilization and claim the region of Transnistria much like they fostered chaos in Ukraine and then occupied Crimea and the Donbas.

What this plan reveals above all is that Vladimir Putin ’s vision of the world order is built on fraud, force, and tyranny. Countries around the world want to join the American-led alliance system because they believe it will lead to increased freedom and prosperity. Putin cannot let this happen since it would destroy his hope of rebuilding the Soviet Empire, so he resorts to coercion to expand his sphere of influence. The Kremlin’s bullying and aggression may lead to quick victories in the short term, but it can never bring true stability or peace to international relations.

Some American foreign policy analysts, such as John Mearsheimer , blame the West for the war in Ukraine. They argue that NATO expansion made Russian leaders feel unsafe, thus provoking the so-called “special military operation.” But the mere existence of this Moldova plan disproves Mearsheimer’s thesis. Putin is not acting defensively - he is working aggressively to expand his sphere of influence.

Read more at The Washington Examiner.