By nearly any measure of international law, Russia’s actions in Ukraine are invasive and aggressive—not liberatory.
In 2022, the United Nations condemned Russia’s attack on Kherson and deemed its deployment of heavy weaponry into Ukrainian territory a violation of international law.
In 2024, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called Russia’s conduct “a blatant violation of international law,” emphasizing that “under international law, Ukraine has the right to self-defense.”
Further, Reuters reported that G7 nations agreed to phase out Russian oil imports, the U.S. imposed sanctions on Gazprombank executives and related businesses, and the EU tightened controls on chemicals used by the Russian military, all steps taken “to punish Russia for its war against Ukraine.”
