Since the occupation of Donbas in 2014 multiple international organizations have been active in Ukraine. Their task was to help relieve the humanitarian crisis and facilitate dialogue between the Ukrainian and Russian sides.
SMM OSCE and the Red Cross were major international actors that were expected to build effective logistics, procedures and connections ‘in the field’ to secure implementation of these goals.
Ukraine’s efforts to restore justice by bringing Russia into court and prosecuting individual criminals were assisted by the International Court of Justice, Interpol and International Criminal Court. Ukraine has been in reasonably effective working contact with the UN’s specialized agencies, such as IOM, UNICEF and UNDP. Yet, as the full-fledged war with Russia started on February 24, 2022, the majority of international organizations that are usually there for countries in distress appeared to be ineffective, unresponsive or absent.
SMM OSCE ceased operations in Ukraine and left the country by March 6. The International Committee of the Red Cross repeatedly fails to provide timely responses on humanitarian corridors to its Ukrainian counterparts. UN’s diplomatic support, though unified, does not result in immediate help on the ground.
Institutions of international justice were the most responsive to Ukraine’s appeals, but their decisions will have little effect on the severity of Russian aggression today. International organizations should be more inventive and proactive in responding to unprecedented violence against civilians in Ukraine.
Speakers:
- Dr. Kateryna Busol, Ukrainian international lawyer, senior lecturer at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy
- Oleksandra Matviychuk, human rights defender, Head of the Center for Civil Liberties
- Oksana Alieva, Climate Change and Energy Policy Program Coordinator,
- Heinrich Boell Foundation, Kyiv Office
- Yurii Kostenko, Minister of Natural Environment Protection in 1992-1998
- Ihor Burakovsky, professor, Head of the Board at the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting
- Vitaliy Zagayniy, Deputy Head of the Lviv regional state administration Andreas Umland, analyst with the Stockholm Center for Eastern European Studies, the Swedish Institute of International Affairs
If you want to support Ukraine against Russian aggression, check the link with recommendations by Ukraine Crisis Media Center – https://uacrisis.org/en/help-ukraine
NGO Euroatlantic Course collects donations to support Ukrainian Army and civilians – https://eac.org.ua/en/main-page/