33 results found
Build Forward: NGO recommendations on Ukraine recovery and reconstruction
June 28, 2023It has been 15 months since the Russian Federation launched a full-scale military offensive in Ukraine, dramatically escalating the war that had been ongoing since 2014. These hostilities have inflicted a massive human and economic toll on families and children across the country.This paper, a collaboration between Ukrainian and international civil society and NGOs, aimed to inform participants of the second Ukraine Recovery Conference on how to meet immediate needs while taking steps towards Ukraine's recovery and eventual reconstruction. It emphasises the importance of adopting an inclusive, human-centric, child-centric and gender-just approach, anticipating major risks that may jeopardise reconstruction efforts, and proposes recommendations along with mitigation measures that can be taken at present.
Sending Arms or Twisting Arms: The U.S. Role in the Ukraine War
April 27, 2023In the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the United States has backed the government in Kyiv with military hardware and economic assistance. The Biden administration has also done its best to constrain Russia's ability to wage war even as it has been careful not to provoke a direct confrontation or spur escalation on Russia's part.There are two primary scenarios for how the war plays out in the future. Either Ukraine will follow the "Croatia scenario" by pushing Russian troops entirely out of the country and potentially setting into motion the political downfall of Vladimir Putin. Or, in the "Korean scenario," the war will settle into a period of stalemate after the first year of surprising reversals.This backgrounder, prepared for the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, explores the causes of the war in Ukraine and the actions of different actors in the conflict to date. It also lays out different scenarios for how the conflict may proceed depending on events both internationally and in the United States, and makes the case for a robust international diplomatic response whatever the war's outcome.
Hidden Hardship: 1 Year Living in Forced Displacement for Refugees from Ukraine
February 21, 2023One year after the escalation of the international armed conflict in Ukraine, more than 8 million refugees from Ukraine reside in Europe, the largest single displacement in the region since the Second World War. The majority of people who fled Ukraine and were able to cross into the EU and other parts of Europe are women, children and older persons, largely due to Ukrainian legislation restricting men eligible for military conscription from leaving the country. For many people it has been nearly 12 months since they left behind their homes, lives, family and friends, although people have been leaving Ukraine throughout the last year and continue to do so. The three neighbouring countries Poland, Romania and Republic of Moldova, have been at the forefront of receiving refugees fleeing Ukraine. Forced displacement is likely to continue as the war shows no sign of waning. This raises the question of how people are coping and what kind of support is required.In order to answer these questions, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and Upinion conducted an online survey in January 2023 with refugees from Ukraine living in Poland, Romania and the Republic of Moldova to hear what experiences they have had, what challenges they have faced and what their return intentions are.
A Year in, Americans Still Support Ukraine
February 13, 2023A majority of the US public continues to back current military and financial aid to Kyiv, recent polls find.The war in Ukraine is about to enter its second year, with rumors of a new Russian offensive being planned to mark the occasion. At the same time, US headlines have warned that some congressional support for US aid to Ukraine may be sliding, and several polls have shown that American public support for continuing to assist Ukraine "for as long as it takes" has slipped from the very high levels seen at the outset of the conflict. But these analyses often overlook the fact that Americans are still paying attention to the conflict one year into it, and their support for current military and financial aid to Kyiv remains at majority levels.
A Year In: Turning the Tide in Russia’s Full-Scale War Against Ukraine
February 1, 2023Russia's war against Ukraine has killed innocent civilians, decimated entire cities, made a mockery of the rule of law, and pushed global food security to the brink. Russian aggression not only undermines the stability of the region, but the security and prosperity of the wider world, as well as the very principles of open society, human rights, and the rule of law.Ukrainian victory will require a steep increase in support from its allies, so that the country can defend itself, keep its economy afloat, and, eventually, recover and rebuild. The sooner the war ends, the fewer lives will be lost, and the less damage will be done to the global order.This analysis provides recommendations for policymakers to help Ukraine win the war, including an increase in financial support so that Ukraine's economy can recover, and strengthened political support to hold Russia accountable for its crimes, and lay a solid foundation for post-war reconstruction and accession to the EU.
War and Peace: Supporting Ukraine to Prevail, Rebuild, and Prosper
October 1, 2022In the context of an escalating war and despite the positive news of territorial gains for Ukraine in the east of the country, Ukraine's reconstruction and recovery can now only be a mid- to long-term goal.In only two weeks since Russia's targeted attacks on Ukraine's cities intensified on 10 October 2022, over 400 infrastructure facilities and systems were severely damaged in 16 regions of Ukraine. Thirty percent of Ukraine's electric power plants were destroyed. Ukraine is facing a harsh winter and needs urgent aid and solutions including power generators, heating, and temporary housing to withstand freezing temperatures, ice, and snow. Aid to Ukrainian internally displaced persons, host communities, and refugees will need to be increased as thousands may leave their homes when winter threatens their lives in unheated homes. In addition to emergency support, the prime focus of Ukraine's Western partners needs to be on military and economic aid to ensure Ukraine's victory against Russian aggression and to support its economy in a time of war.And yet, wherever possible, recovery should commence during the war to reduce the huge economic and human cost of the invasion and prevent Ukraine's economic collapse. Working on the post-war reconstruction and recovery phase should happen concurrently as this is an undertaking of enormous scale that requires planning and coordination and serves as a confidence-building measure for all Ukrainians affected by the war and concerned about their future and for the West to demonstrate its ability to help Ukraine win the war and recover.
At Risk and in Need: Recommendations To Help The Most Vulnerable People Displaced From Ukraine
June 8, 2022The war in Ukraine has led to the largest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II, and one of the fastest large-scale displacements in history.The international community has provided an unprecedented level of support to people fleeing Ukraine, but despite this response, vulnerable populations are at risk.In this policy brief HIAS examines the serious protection risks that certain groups -- women and girls; unaccompanied and separated children; LGBTQ individuals; people with disabilities; and non-Ukrainian refugees, asylum seekers, and stateless persons -- are experiencing. HIAS recommends ways the EU, U.S., and UN agencies can address these gaps, including funding local civil society organizations and increasing efforts to combat trafficking, exploitation, and abuse.
Interim security insights and implications from the first two months of the Russia-Ukraine war
May 12, 2022Russia's ongoing struggles during its invasion of Ukraine have led some to suggest that the Russian military lacks the capability to credibly threaten the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and its member states. However, narrowly focusing on Russia's tactical and operational struggles, while omitting the flawed Russian strategic decisionmaking which underpinned the invasion, is a dangerous approach. While Russia's significant losses in this war will clearly degrade its ability to conduct large scale offensive operations against NATO in the short term, it is too soon to write off the medium to long-term threat posed by Russia. Therefore, as the Russian invasion enters a new phase, it is useful to determine what lessons should and should not be derived from this conflict. In our subsequent analysis, we analyze these initial insights and provide policy recommendations for NATO to enhance its conventional capability and strengthen its ability to credibly deter future Russian aggression.
Americans’ Concerns About War in Ukraine: Wider Conflict, Possible U.S.-Russia Clash
May 10, 2022Pew Research Center conducted this study to better understand Americans' attitudes about the Russian invasion of Ukraine as well as the Biden administration's response to the invasion. For this analysis, we surveyed 5,074 U.S. adults in May 2022. Everyone who took part in this survey is a member of the Center's American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories.
How Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine Is Affecting Global Agricultural Markets
May 2, 2022The war in Ukraine has roiled commodity markets and raised concerns about global food security. Ongoing fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors had already driven up food prices before Russia's invasion. Poor harvests in South America, strong global demand, and supply-chain issues reduced grain and oilseed inventories, driving prices to their highest levels since 2011–13. Vegetable oil prices have also been at record levels, reflecting a short South American soybean crop, reduced palm oil supplies due to harvest problems in Malaysia, and sharply increased use of palm and soybean oil for biodiesel production. Prices of key energy-intensive inputs such as fuel, fertilizer, and pesticides have also been at near-record levels.Russia's invasion of Ukraine will further disrupt global markets, hurt global grain supplies in the short term, and, by disrupting natural gas and fertilizer markets, negatively affect producers as they enter a new planting season. This could further increase already high food prices and have serious consequences for low-income net food–importing countries, many of which have seen an increase in malnourishment rates3 over the past few years in the face of pandemic disruptions.
IRC assessment of humanitarian needs of refugees fleeing Ukraine in Poland
April 1, 2022Months of escalating hostility towards Ukraine have culminated in an estimated 4 million refugees having fled the country. As of March 26, 2022, 2.2M people have fled to neighbouring Poland.Many have been welcomed by the Ukrainian diaspora in Poland, many more are being hosted by Polish families, and the rest reside in recently established shelters and reception centers. While the Polish government, Polish NGOs, UN agencies, and local civil society actors have provided multisectoral relief across the country, this rapid needs assessment aims to better understand the priority needs, vulnerabilities, and barriers to accessing information, services, and humanitarian support that people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine face in Poland, including those experienced by groups with heightened vulnerability. This assessment will be used to inform the IRC's strategic response to these displaced populations in Poland and will be widely shared with the overall humanitarian community, including with Polish civil society and governmental bodies who have provided rapid and much needed relief to people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy inspires widespread confidence from U.S. public as views of Putin hit new low
March 30, 2022Weeks after Russia invaded his country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy draws overwhelmingly positive ratings from the American public for his handling of international affairs. Around seven-in-ten Americans (72%) have a lot or some confidence in Zelenskyy, higher than any other international leader asked about in a new Pew Research Center survey.
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