For General Milley, it comes down to core values and core interests. That is, sovereignty is not just a noble idea but a practical one to keep the peace. “[The Ukraine war] is a frontal assault on the rules. And rule one says that large, powerful countries cannot arbitrarily change the international boundaries of smaller, weaker countries through the use of military force,” Milley said. “If that understanding goes away, then your risk of great power war goes up exponentially. That’s what’s at stake in Ukraine.”
