SEN RICK SCOTT: Red Square goes global as the world's worst regimes gather on May 9

Forty-two years ago, Ronald Reagan stood in a ballroom in Orlando, Florida, calling for countries to unite against an evil empire and encouraging them to "not remove themselves from the struggle between right and wrong and good and evil."

Much has changed in four decades - yet the threat to freedom-loving countries has only grown. 

We still exist in a world of good versus evil - freedom-loving countries like ours that support democracy, human rights, and economic freedom against countries like Russia, Communist China, North Korea, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, and others who control and abuse the will and God-given rights of their citizens. 

On May 9th, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping will stand together in Red Square, celebrating Russia's military and commemorating its victory in World War II. Pay attention to those who attend, as no country that supports democracy, freedom, or free trade should stand with Putin and Xi.

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Putin’s Russia is one of a host of evil powers plotting to exploit their citizens and the world. It's no secret Putin is actively working to restructure global power to what we saw in the Soviet era. Xi Jinping and Communist China pursue global domination through economic control that turns profit and influence into espionage and genocide. Iran seeks power by openly supporting terrorist groups like Hamas and the Houthis in the killing of innocents, attacking Israel, targeting U.S. ships, and disrupting trade. There is North Korea, who recently supplied troops for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the illegitimate Maduro regime in Venezuela, and the regimes in Cuba and Nicaragua, who share their view of the world. There are also countries like Hungary that feign alignment with the U.S. but act to support Putin and stay on his good side by protecting Russia from EU sanctions. All of these powers cooperate against the U.S. and our partners, and the ones in our hemisphere serve as proxies for Russia, China, Iran, and others.

Then there are the freedom-loving nations of the world who stand together against Putin, Xi, and these evil regimes as we defend freedom and our way of life. There is a clear line of distinction between these groups: good vs. evil. 

Years ago, I warned that Communist China had started a new Cold War with the United States. I spoke of the dangers of thinking that China and our enemies would ever operate within the modern world order. I called on our allies to recognize this threat because there would come a day of reckoning. I also called for our government to demonstrate America's strength and resolve and a renewed commitment to our allies in freedom as we worked to contain the increasing reach of Communist China, Russia, Iran, and others. Under President Trump's first administration, we did so. 

I was never optimistic that the Biden administration had the courage or desire to combat the encroaching dangers; what resulted during his presidency proved me right.

Our enemies saw the weaknesses of Joe Biden and his administration, and they took full advantage. These evil nations seized every opportunity to tear down the interests and security of the U.S. and our allies, fueling terror and evil around the world, including the invasion of a sovereign nation.

President Trump inherited a mess, but he is working diligently to reverse Biden's disastrous course and reestablish the U.S. as a beacon of strength in the world, sending a clear message: the U.S. is back. We stand for liberty, democracy, and fair play, and to stand opposed to that is to stand opposed to us. 

President Trump is already moving to crack down on Communist China's abuses. He and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have acted to strip Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro of every resource he's using to cling to power, and they've exerted maximum pressure on Iran to stop them from getting a nuclear weapon. They've also reversed the Biden administration's dangerous appeasement and enablement of the Cuban regime, which funded evil and instability throughout our hemisphere for decades. We've seen President Trump work to bring peace to Ukraine and put pressure on Putin by maintaining and threatening increased sanctions while getting our European allies on board to ensure Putin is a global pariah if he refuses to come to the negotiation table. He has also opened the door to future military aid for Ukraine, which could and should be underwritten financially by our European allies.

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On my recent trip to Finland, Estonia, and Denmark, I met with our allies on the front lines defending us against Russian aggression, and I saw the benefit of President Trump pushing our NATO allies to step up and contribute more to their own defenses. These three countries are leaders in responding to President Trump's calls, meeting and surpassing NATO minimum defense standards. Even Germany has activated its military by sending troops to help protect the border in Lithuania, though it has only just met its 2% GDP goal for the first time in almost 35 years. Unfortunately, they are not alone in this. While the U.S. is willing and able to protect our allies, we cannot do so if they are not willing and able to defend themselves. 

This showdown of good versus evil will not be decided solely through traditional military actions but through economic battles as well. We must enforce strategic sanctions and work to end policies that supply our enemies with the money and economic power to fund their atrocities. We must make our enemies global pariahs and cripple their economies, otherwise the United States and our allies will not be safe. 

The United States will always stand on the side of freedom and democracy; it is not only a noble fight, but an essential one. And we will always stand against those who wish us destroyed. I, for one, will be watching as every nation makes clear which side they're on come May 9th in Red Square.