Georgian, Ukrainian CSOs Call for Strong Response to Russian Aggression

Sixty civil society organizations from Georgia and Ukraine today called on the governments of the world to respond in “a strict, unified and a forceful way” to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

They called for enforcing no-fly zones above certain parts of Ukraine and providing its military with anti-aircraft and anti-missile defense systems.

The CSOs also demanded the international community to impose “strongest possible measures” against Russia, provide financial and humanitarian support to Ukrainians both inside and outside the country and enact welcoming conditions for refugees from Ukraine.

According to the appeal, Russia’s attack on Ukraine “represents an unprovoked and unjustified aggression against a sovereign state, and is an attempt to dismantle European and global security architecture.”

“In the circumstances when innocent lives are being lost and infrastructure and economy of the country is being destroyed there is no time for half-measures,” the CSOs asserted. “[Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s regime should pay a severe price for these crimes.”

The CSOs argued that Ukraine “demonstrates a remarkable example of courage fighting with one of the most powerful military machines in the world, and it is the duty of the Democratic world, to stand up for Ukraine in this uneven battle.”

They also stressed that Moscow “largely got away” with the Russian invasion of Georgia in 2008. “What we witness today, is to a large extent, a result of that very lenience of the West back then,” the signatories noted.

“The democratic world cannot afford to make the same mistake again and it should adequately respond to this flagrant aggression in the heart of Europe,” they added.

“We believe that Ukraine is fighting this war for the whole continent and the democratic world, and it is our duty to show support to the heroic people of Ukraine. The time to act is now,” the signatories concluded.

The signatories from the Georgian third sector are Transparency International Georgia, Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, International Society for Fair Election and Democracy, UN Association of Georgia and Open Society Georgia Foundation, among others.

See the full statement and the list of signatories here.

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