Twelve years ago, on Aug. 7, 2008, Russia invaded Georgia and – since then – illegally occupied the Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions.
This occupation forms part of a long list of worldwide violations of international commitments and obligations by Russia, including under the United Nations Charter, the Helsinki Final Act and the Ceasefire Agreement of Aug. 12, 2008.
Russia’s continued military exercises in that region, its increased “borderization” activities, and persistent abuses of fundamental freedoms and basic human rights should not be ignored since indifference breeds contempt and serves as a catalyst for sequels in other parts of the world.
Indeed, the international community’s weak reaction twelve years ago led the Kremlin’s authoritarian and imperialist regime to pursue, six years later, its insatiable expansionist policies into Ukraine with the invasion of Crimea and then parts of the Donbas.
The international community must, therefore, maintain pressure on Russia with effective, targeted, and escalating sanctions to ultimately ensure the withdrawal of Russian forces from the internationally recognized territories of Georgia and Ukraine.
Russia will continue to endanger the security and stability of the world until it becomes fully convinced that the international community is solidly united and will remain unwaveringly intolerant of all violations of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of independent states, and abuses of fundamental rights and freedoms.
Eugene Czolij is president of the Ukraine-2050 nongovernmental organization and president of the Ukrainian World Congress from 2008-2018.
