Countries' Reactions to Ukraine v Russia War
Written by Katheryn Golding
After the horrors experienced worldwide from World War II, great effort has been made to restore and maintain peace throughout the world. With this effort, countries have come up with new ways to combat each other that greatly reduce the loss of human life, as seen in the Cold War, when the United States and the Soviet Union fought each other with political tactics, as opposed to military tactics. When Russia invaded Ukraine in February this year, many countries and organizations responded in similar non-violent ways, hoping to avoid a global war by trying to harm and persuade Russia to stop the invasion through the use of sanctions and grim warnings.
Almost as soon as Putin announced he would be moving troops into Ukraine to carry out special military operations, countries and organizations sprang into action with sanctions set against Russia. Many had been paying close attention to Putin’s actions as tension mounted between Russia and Ukraine the months before the war broke out, but hopes of potentially stopping Russia from attacking a peaceful nation remained as leaders like Macron, the president of France, made continuous efforts to meet with Putin and discuss actions. However, once it became clear that Putin would not give up on Ukraine, world leaders made the decision to condemn and punish Russia through non-violent means.
While many countries and organizations imposed sanctions on Russia, they also responded to the news in many different and unexpected ways. Here is a brief overview of the surprising and varied reactions that stood out.
ORGANIZATIONS:
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO):
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, an organization meant to maintain peace in Europe and promote democracy, has been in a tough position since Russia invaded Ukraine. Putin tried to justify his invasion of Ukraine by claiming it was meant to “denazify” and “demilitarize” the nation after Ukraine’s attempt to join NATO intensified. NATO, which includes military power, has since increased its number of troops throughout Europe in case Russia decides to further expand its invasion to other countries. NATO claims it condemns Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, “which is an independent, peaceful and democratic country, and a close NATO partner” (NATO, 2022, para. 1), in the strongest possible terms.
NATO has also been watching Russia’s actions closely. A Russian missile recently struck just twelve miles from Poland, which is on the western border of Ukraine and is currently a member of NATO. Finland and Sweden have also amplified their effort to join the organization soon, to which Russia has responded with aggressive comments.
European Union (EU):
The European Union was one of the first organizations to take action and create sanctions against Russia. The EU currently consists of twenty seven countries, most of which are following through with the organization’s proposed sanctions against Russia. The EU has stated on its official website that it is “united in condemning Putin’s aggression over Ukraine” (EU, 2022, para. 1). A global campaigning event titled “Stand Up For Ukraine” generated €9.1 billion to help Ukrainian refugees as well as those who decided to stay and fight for their country. Since the start of the invasion, the EU has put focus on providing relief funds and is continuing to impose many rounds of sanctions on Russia.
The EU has also set up an investigative team with Ukraine to look at possible war crimes being committed during the invasion as it continues to hold a strong stance against Russia.
United Nations (UN):
After witnessing the atrocities Russia committed in Ukraine, the United Nations voted Russia off of its Human Rights Council. To provide more immediate support, the UN organized a large amount of money to be sent to Ukraine as humanitarian aid for the struggling country. It also had its members take a vote on stopping the war, to which only a handful of countries said it should not be stopped. Many countries voted in support of stopping the invasion, while some of the countries Russia considered its allies took a neutral stance, neither supporting nor opposing the invasion. Aid and supplies for the UN continue to enter Ukraine as the organization begins a war crime investigation.
COUNTRIES:
The United States:
Upon hearing of the invasion, Biden quickly set sanctions against Russia. During a speech, he announced the US would be removing Russia from SWIFT, an international banking system. This drastically dropped the value of the Russian ruble and took a hard toll on the Russian economy.
In response to the invasion, many US brands announced they would be stopping operations in Russia. From fast food places to streaming networks, many well-known companies left Russia to show support to Ukraine. McDonalds, Starbucks, Netflix, and many designer brands are just a few examples. TikTok, a social media platform used frequently in the US, also announced it would temporarily suspend Russian creators from posting on the platform. The app has also allowed scenes of Ukrainian bravery, of which include war elements that would typically violate community guidelines, to make it to ordinary viewers across the globe.
The US, which uses gas and oil from Russia, noticed a sharp increase in gas prices since the start of the invasion. Many people have complained of the high gas prices, which arose from the US’s stance on Russia, on various social media platforms. Others have demanded that all use of Russian oil be stopped immediately.
The US has also revoked Russia’s “most-favored-nation” status, which typically allows a country to have the best trading terms possible and is known to boost countries’ economies. Many other countries have done the same.
The US announced it would welcome up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees, though the details of that are still being figured out. On various social media platforms, users repost grim pictures and video clips providing a glimpse of the war in Ukraine. Many users changed their profile pictures to the blue and yellow flag of Ukraine to show their support.
China:
As the invasion of Ukraine started, news reporters in China refused to call it an “invasion”, choosing softer words such as “issue” instead. China did not impose any sanctions on Russia, as the two countries consider each other allies. Although China initially agreed with Russia’s claims that the west was gaining too much power, China has chosen inactivity over activity since the start of the invasion. Due to China being a useful trading partner to countries like the US, it has not been condemned for not taking a firm stance against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
When the Russians requested military and economic help from China-an ally to Russia, China did not show much support. US officials strongly advised China against supporting Russia militarily in their invasion. Xi Jinping, the president of China, told the press that he wants peace. He went into calls with Biden and other world leaders, in which he expressed the same message.
Japan:
Upon hearing of the large number of innocent civilians killed by Russian soldiers, Japan strongly condemned the invasion. To help Ukraine, Japan has sent over military and medical equipment, as well as provided large sums of money and loans. Many sanctions were announced, limiting the import and export of certain goods, as well as freezing Russian banks and preventing financing to Russia. In addition, Japan aims to respond to Russia’s evasion of any sanctions. Japan has also taken an extra step to sanction Belarus, which has allowed Russian soldiers to move through the southern borders to Ukraine, and the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which claimed they had broken apart from Ukraine for independence, of which Putin recognized.
Japan has also had a unique past with Russia. Following World War II, the Kuril Islands, which are between Japan and Russia, became disputed territory. Both Japan and Russia consider the Kuril islands as their sovereign territories, though Russia has had control of the islands since the end of the war. The disagreement regarding the islands kept Japan and Russia from forming good diplomatic ties, though Japan became less insistent with the islands for some time. Just recently, with the invasion of Ukraine and less willingness to improve relations with Russia, Japan has made the claim that Russia is illegally occupying the islands.
France:
Before the invasion of Ukraine, France’s president Macron kept setting up meetings with world leaders in hopes of instilling peace and preventing the outbreak of war. He took steps to meet with Putin and discuss the Russian leader’s concerns with Ukraine, though ultimately, Macron’s effort to prevent the war failed. After receiving word of the invasion, France, which has been known to not keep other countries up to date with its relationship with Russia, imposed sanctions on Russia. France also looked at ways to reduce the harm the sanctions would cause to Russian citizens who had nothing to do with the invasion.
France has sent police over to Kyiv to investigate war crimes and has strongly condemned Russia for invading Ukraine. However, the ongoing elections in France may create a change in the results, as Macron’s opponent, Marine Le Pen, opposes sending weapons into Ukraine. Le Pen has close ties to Russia, and as a far-right presidential candidate, she is known to oppose organizations like NATO and the EU.
Germany:
Like many European countries, Germany has been accepting refugees from Ukraine. A website with all kinds of information for those seeking shelter and safety has been set up, along with refugee centers designed to host many refugees and provide them with as comfortable a stay as possible.
Germany was slow to act as the threat of war between Russia and Ukraine mounted, but once the war started, decisions to raise the budget for military defense came into play. NATO and many of Germany’s allies had been critical of the low military spending Germany had in the past. In addition to focusing more on the military, Germany, which relies heavily on Russian gas and oil, has been left with the task of figuring out how to maintain normal life without relying on those supplies from Russia, as plans for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline were shut down shortly before the invasion.
Poland:
Poland is one of many countries to open centers for refugees. It’s estimated that roughly two million Ukrainian refugees have fled to the neighboring country. Many Ukrainian refugees were instructed to head to the Polish border for supplies and safety. A law was passed allowing Ukrainian refugees to stay within the country for eighteen months following the start of the war, and the Polish government set up a website with information and options for Ukrainian refugees.
Poland has also allowed refugees to seek legal and financial assistance while they are displaced. As Poland is close to Ukraine, it was the first place many refugees ran to for safety and continues to offer a place for displaced Ukrainians to receive help.
Switzerland:
Not long into the war, Switzerland took a shocking move. The country, which was known for its neutrality, announced it would be following along with the EU sanctions against Russia, effectively ending the country’s neutrality. Switzerland did not become a part of the EU to keep its neutral stance. Despite this, Switzerland has kept up with the rounds of EU sanctions against Russia.
Switzerland is also accepting Ukrainian refugees. Unlike other nations, it has not put a limit on the number of refugees allowed to enter the country. A large number of Ukrainian refugees have been finding shelter in Switzerland daily. Switzerland has also sent aid to those fighting and staying in Ukraine.
Hungary:
Although Hungary’s president is known for taking a harsh stance against immigration and letting refugees in, Hungary has also opened many shelters for Ukrainians, who have found a temporary safe place to stay. Hungary’s president, Viktor Orban, however, has shown more willingness to continue to work alongside Russians, announcing the country would be ready to pay for gas in Russian rubles after Russia demanded that countries which continue to use their gas pay in rubles. This goes against the EU’s goals in stopping the war, and Ukraine has asked Hungary to stop opposing the EU’s actions when it comes to the war. Orban was recently congratulated by Xi Jinping and Putin for winning a re-election, and is known for his anti-immigration and anti-refugee views, which could affect the Ukrainians seeking refuge there in the upcoming months as the war continues.
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