Washington, D.C. – Today, the International Republican Institute (IRI) issued the following statement in response to Russia’s illegal efforts to annex swaths of Ukraine after months of an unprovoked war against Ukraine:
“Seven months after Vladimir Putin illegally invaded Ukraine, illegitimate referendums, mass mobilization of military reserves, and nuclear threats continue to show that his war of aggression has completely backfired. These extreme measures only highlight Putin’s weakness on the world stage and his desperate attempts to cling to power. Recent discoveries of mass graves have not only unearthed the tortured remains of innocent victims, they have also exposed the true character of an evil regime in Moscow while uniting much of the world in opposition to this unjust war.
“The International Republican Institute once again condemns the violent conflict being waged against a sovereign, democratic Ukraine, and calls for an immediate withdrawal of Russian troops and a return of all Russian-occupied territory to the Ukrainian people.”
Additional Background:
IRI recently conducted polling in Ukraine that shows the country is unified in their opposition to the war and Russia. Some of the poll’s key findings:
- 98% of Ukrainians believe they will win the war.
- When allowed up to three answers, 49% of Ukrainians said restoring territorial integrity should be the main development aim for Ukraine over the next 10 years, making this the most frequently named response.
- 91% of Ukrainians either “strongly approve” or “somewhat approve” of the actions of President Volodymyr Zelensky.
- Only 6% of Ukrainians said recognizing the Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics as independent states within the territory controlled before February 24th was an acceptable concession to end the war.
- Even less, only 2% of Ukrainians said recognizing the Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics as independent states outright was an acceptable concession to end the war.