While the rapid rise of authoritarianism in the United States is oftentimes portrayed as the problem of power, it is also a problem of culture and communication. That is why the field of communication studies has a unique responsibility in developing communicative strategies to counter authoritarian rhetorics and fictions. To do that, however, we need to understand that authoritarianism is a global mechanism of power and that any development of successful resistance to authoritarianism in the United States relies on the thorough understanding of global authoritarian regimes. On April 25, 2025, we organized a virtual learning opportunity (VLO) for the National Communication Association that examined the through line between the current authoritarian turn in the US, the history of authoritarianism in Europe, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We are Ukrainian and European scholars who study the ways in which rhetorics of land, peace, safety, and identity have been weaponized by authoritarian regimes in Central Eastern Europe (CEE), the former Soviet Union, and, most recently, by Russia against Ukraine. We argue that understanding the history of authoritarianism in CEE, Russian neo-imperialism, and Ukrainian invasion is essential to creating a robust response to authoritarianism in North America. What follows is our reflections and follow up to the VLO, in which we examine how the politics of Ukraine, Russia, and Central Eastern Europe can shine light on the emergence of authoritarianism in the United States.
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