The political crisis that began late last year in Ukraine has intensified in recent weeks. In a vote that took place amid a Russian military occupation, the people of Crimea - a semi-autonomous region of Ukraine - voted overwhelmingly in favor of annexation by Russia. The White House has stated that the vote, "which violates the Ukrainian constitution and occurred under duress of Russian military intervention, would never be recognized by the United States and the international community.” Some are describing the tension between Russia and the U.S. as rising to Cold War levels.
Should the U.S. use force to try to prevent Russia from annexing Crimea? To what extent? What questions would you need answered about the situation in Ukraine in order to determine the answers to these questions?
This month's Teaching the Faith with Current Events eLesson helps you explore this situation in the context of just war theory with a student-friendly overview, links to news stories and links to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, discussion questions, and suggested responses.
