Putin's misguided adventure in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin's recognition of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent and his decision to order the Russian military to send what Moscow describes as "peacekeepers" to the area are irresponsible acts and a violation of international law. The deployment of troops resembles the thin end of the wedge of an invasion of a sovereign country, even if the two regions have long sought independence from Ukraine.

The Russian leader's flagrant move aims to again redraw boundaries, after the 2014 foray into Crimea and its annexation, and upends a fragile balance in eastern Europe. It also provides a precedent for great-power adventurism elsewhere, including in Asia. Whether or not this week's moves present a beachhead for a deeper push into Ukraine, they display a haughty rejection of diplomacy and dialogue.