Commentators argue that Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine has overturned the postwar world order. But the reality is perhaps more dangerous than that.

Yes, Putin’s indefensible invasion has been transformative, violating international law and fueling a perilous escalation of violence. We have witnessed the heart-rending suffering of Ukrainians, including the 350,000 already forced to flee; the bravery unfairly required of people lining up to donate blood or organize resistance; the more than 6,000 arrests of anti-war demonstrators in Russia.

But none of this has forged a new world order; Putin has simply (and brutally) reasserted Russia’s role. The old order—with its Cold War attitudes, militaries, alliances, and enmities—is reclaiming center stage.

Read the full text of Katrina’s column here.