The "rules based world order" is that the USA makes the rules.
Russia is the first semi-powerful country to say "fuck your rules, we're going to take our ball and go play somewhere else"
And the reason so much effort is being spent -- not to mention Ukrainians -- to stop this, is because there is a very real risk other countries are going to do the same thing if Russia gets away with it. For the simple reason that the rules made by the USA mostly totally suck donkey balls, including for the people of America itself.
The "rules based world order" is that the USA makes the rules.
Russia is the first semi-powerful country to say "fuck your rules, we're going to take our ball and go play somewhere else"
And the reason so much effort is being spent -- not to mention Ukrainians -- to stop this, is because there is a very real risk other countries are going to do the same thing if Russia gets away with it. For the simple reason that the rules made by the USA mostly totally suck donkey balls, including for the people of America itself.