Today is the second anniversary of the start of Vladimir Putin’s brutal attempt to take over Ukraine. While Russian aggression against Ukraine dates back to the seizure of Crimea and parts of Donbass in 2014, the February 2022 invasion greatly escalated the conflict, bringing large-scale death and destruction and, worse, widespread atrocities committed by Russian forces.
This is an update of the post from February 24 last year, which compiles my writings on the conflict up to that point. There were many more in the years that followed. I ended last year’s post with the hope that Ukraine will soon achieve a decisive victory, but also stating “I’m afraid I might compile another similar list in a year.” Unfortunately, that fear has passed.
In this post I collect links to my writings on the conflict over the last two years. Many focus on the huge refugee crisis it triggered, as this is the aspect most closely related to my areas of expertise. But I have also written on a number of other issues relating to the conflict.
From the early days of the conflict, I have advocated for the United States and other Western nations to open their doors to both Ukrainian refugees and Russians fleeing Vladimir Putin’s increasingly repressive regime. As time went on, I became more and more convinced that the West should give Ukraine as many weapons and supplies as possible, in order to push for the greatest possible Ukrainian victory. The Ukrainians performed well militarily; Their recent problems are largely the result of ammunition and supply shortages caused by slowdowns in U.S. and other Western aid. Russian forces, for their part, have suffered heavy casualties, are only modestly competent, and have poor morale and discipline. They can be defeated, if only the West was willing to make a fairly modest investment, much of which could be financed by confiscating Russian government assets in Western nations.
The Ukrainian victory will also bring great moral and strategic benefits. The moral aspect is obvious: saving millions of people from oppression, atrocities and mass murder at the hands of a brutal authoritarian regime. Furthermore, the Ukrainian victory would give impetus to liberal democracy in its ideological struggle against authoritarian nationalism. Strategically, the Putin regime is one of the main enemies of the United States and the West. Any Russian forces damaged or destroyed in Ukraine we do not have to deal with elsewhere. And a defeat for Russia is also the best hope for a more liberal, or at least hostile, government in that country.
Those who argue that helping Ukraine is a diversion from countering China in the Pacific would do well to remember that our Asian allies, including Taiwan, believe that helping Ukraine is in their strategic interest. They know that weakening Russia also weakens China (for which Russia is a key ally), and that showing resolve in Ukraine also helps deter China.
I discuss many of these points – and others – in more detail in various pieces linked below.
In the first part of this post, I compile links to writings on refugee and immigration issues. In the last part he compiles links to other pieces. Unless otherwise noted, all of these pieces were posted right here on the Volokh Conspiracy blog, hosted by Reason.
I list them in chronological order. If you just want to check out the latest pieces, simply scroll down!
I. Writings on immigration and refugee issues
“Offering Asylum to Surrendering Russian Soldiers,” March 1, 2022.
“Biden Grants Temporary Protected Status to Ukrainians in US,” March 4, 2022
“How the US Can Help Refugees (and Undermine Vladimir Putin)” New York Times, March 8, 2022 (non-paywall version here). This was probably my most read article on any war-related issue.
“More information on offering asylum to surrendering Russian soldiers in Ukraine, March 10, 2022
“US, Canada expand admission of Ukrainian refugees,” March 24, 2022
“The need to open our doors to Russians fleeing Putin, as well as Ukrainians,” March 27, 2022.
“By accepting Ukrainian and Russian refugees, Canada can do good and do well,” Globe and mailApril 12, 2022 (with Sabine El-Chidiac)
“Ukraine and Double Standards on Refugees,” April 24, 2022
“Biden Administration Takes Incremental Steps to Open Doors to Ukrainian, Russian Refugees,” May 2, 2022
“A double standard between Ukrainian and Afghan refugees?”, May 26, 2022
“The new wave of Russian emigration is an opportunity for the West, but it seems likely that we will fail,” July 17, 2022
“Americans should be able to sponsor refugees who can stay permanently,” Washington PostJuly 18, 2022 (with Sabine El-Chidiac) (non-paywall version here)
“The Rise of Private Refugee Sponsorship,” August 6, 2022
“Don’t play Putin’s game by excluding Russians from the West: instead let more in,” August 23, 2022
“Vladimir Putin’s Partial Mobilization Order Strengthens Case for Opening Western Doors to Russians Fleeing His Regime,” September 22, 2022
“Why (most) citizens are not “responsible for the actions of their state,” September 25, 2022. Critique of a common logic for preventing entry to Russians fleeing the Putin regime.
“Learning from people who vote with their feet,” October 5, 2022. This article explains what we can learn about the quality of Russian government from the fact that large numbers of people vote with their feet against it.
“United Refugees for Ukraine Private Sponsorship Program Breaks Red Tape,” Nov. 27, 2022
“Russian dissidents fleeing Putin often face abusive immigration detention upon arrival in US,” November 30, 2022
“We sponsored refugees under a new Biden program. The results were amazing,” Washington Post, January 3, 2023 (non-paywall version here). This was probably my second most influential piece on war-related issues. That apparently led to more than 100 people signing up as refugee sponsors in the Uniting for Ukraine program, according to data compiled by sponsor matching site Welcome.US. Since then I have sponsored several other Ukrainian migrants myself and helped other people become sponsors.
“Biden expands United Refugees for Ukraine private sponsorship model to include up to 30,000 migrants per month from Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Haiti,” January 5, 2023.
“Resolving some common questions and misconceptions about Unity for Ukraine and other private migrant sponsorship programs,” January 10, 2023
“Canada grants refugee status to Russians fleeing conscription,” January 21, 2023
“Why Congress Should Pass a Ukrainian Adjustment Bill,” February 22, 2023
“US accepted 271,000 Ukrainians over the past year, but can do much better,” March 15, 2023
“The United States must protect Ukrainian refugees in the United States” Boston GlobeApril 21, 2023 (non-paywall version available here).
“Bipartisan Ukrainian Adjustment Bill Submitted to Congress,” June 15, 2023.
“Michael McFaul argues for reaching ‘Russian diaspora,’” June 26, 2023
“Biden Administration Extends Temporary Protected Status to Ukrainians in US,” August 18, 2023
I have also made a series of podcasts and broadcast media interviews on migration and refugee issues arising from war. For examples, see here, here, here and here.
II. Writings on other war-related issues
“Law, Justice, and the Russia-Ukraine Conflict,” February 23, 2022 (post written at the very beginning of the Russian attack; I think it is still a useful summary of the moral and legal issues at stake in the war).
“How to Fight Putin by Giving Russians ‘A Million Baby Carrots,’” March 6, 2022
“Two of Zelensky’s illiberal and unjust policies that the West should force him to end,” April 1, 2022. This has sparked more negative reactions than anything else he has written about the war. Yet, I support it. Zelensky’s government is far better than Putin’s and deserves Western support in the war. But that doesn’t justify overlooking his mistakes.
“The reasons for pursuing Russian war crimes in Ukraine, even though it is highly unlikely that Putin will ever be tried and punished,” April 10, 2022
“Law, justice and Russia’s attempted annexation of four Ukrainian regions, October 4, 2022
“The West should heed this message from a Russian prison,” February 16, 2023
“A Conflict Between Liberal Democracy and Authoritarian Nationalism: Implications of Ideological Stakes in the Russia-Ukraine War,” February 24, 2023
“Powerful Final Statement by Russian Opposition Leader Vladimir Kara-Murza to the Court,” April 17, 2023
“International Criminal Court issues arrest warrant for war crimes against Vladimir Putin,” March 17, 2023
“Michael McFaul argues for reaching ‘Russian diaspora,’” June 26, 2023. This article refers to both immigration and broader issues. This is how it appears in both sections.
“Those who support Israel against Hamas should also support Ukraine against Russia,” October 12, 2023
“Fund Ukraine’s war effort by confiscating Russian government assets,” November 17, 2023. The importance of this issue is understated. The $300 billion in Russian government assets currently frozen in the West could, alone, finance Ukraine’s war effort for a long time to come.
“The GOP’s False Link Between Ukraine Aid and ‘Border Security,’” December 12, 2023. This post is partly about issues at the U.S. southern border, but does not focus on refugees from the same war in Ukraine, and therefore fits this category.
“US, allies consider seizing Russian government assets and giving them to Ukraine,” December 28, 2023
“Alexei Navalny, RIP,” February 16, 2024. Russia’s most prominent opposition leader, recently assassinated by Putin, understood Putin’s evil war against Ukraine.
“Tucker Carlson against evidence that Russians vote with their feet,” February 16, 2024. This also refers to migration. But I put it in this part of the post, because it’s more about how to evaluate the Russian government and society.
I hope that the United States and its allies will strengthen support for Ukraine and that the war will reach a positive resolution soon. But, again, I fear I might end up publishing another list like this in 2025.