On 24th February 2024, it will be exactly two years since Russia’s full-scale invasion into Ukraine, and almost a decade since the illegal annexation of Crimea in March 2014. Ukraine is fighting for its future, but, as has often been acknowledged by leaders in the UK and other countries, it is also fighting for peace in Europe, the protection of the rules-based international order, and the fundamental freedoms enjoyed in democratic nations.
Nevertheless, there has not been complete unity over support for Ukraine internationally and, as the war has dragged ever onwards, it has provoked more questions both about the longevity of financial support as well as how exactly the war might come to an end. While there has been largely consensus behind backing Ukraine across the political spectrum in the UK, considerable dividing lines have emerged in the US, which are likely only to come into sharper focus during the upcoming Presidential election. Across Europe, and inside multilateral institutions, cracks have also begun to appear, and conflicts elsewhere have diverted both attention as well as resources.
When marking the one year anniversary in 2023, we invited some of FPC’s research fellows, and friends from our wider network, to provide us with their reflections on the war as well as insights into the impact it has had on their areas of focus. The result was a series of 11 short articles, which gave perspectives from a number of different thematic and regional angles.
This year we have once again turned to those in our network working across a range of topics and spheres, that intersect with the conflict, to provide their thoughts on both the current situation and the future outlook. Below we will be sharing these short perspectives, plus three additional long reads, from our fellows and friends that will start being released from 19th February 2024.