Statement on the Anniversary of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022

Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which began in 2014 and escalated one year ago, has violated Ukraine’s territorial integrity and inflicted immense suffering on its population. Through mass violence against civilians, the abduction of children, and the destruction of Ukrainian cultural heritage as well as social and technical infrastructure, this war exhibits genocidal characteristics. Since 1945, Europe has not experienced a comparable escalation of violence leading to the displacement and forced migration of millions. At the same time, Ukraine has so far successfully resisted, both politically and militarily, attempts to destroy its political and cultural sovereignty. Since 2014, Germany and Europe have initially responded hesitantly, but since February 2022 with increasing determination have supported Ukraine politically, humanitarianly, and militarily.

The German-Ukrainian Historical Commission strongly advocates the full restoration of Ukraine’s sovereignty in order to end the violence and achieve a lasting peace for Ukraine and Europe. Since the beginning of the war, it has contributed to informing the public about Ukraine’s history and present through public events, resolutions, and individual contributions. It actively counters Russian war propaganda, historical falsehoods, and gross distortions of historical facts, and works to promote knowledge about Ukraine that is still insufficient in Germany today. This is particularly important given that a lack of knowledge about Ukraine has contributed, in part, to hesitant solidarity in Germany and has allowed some of these distortions to spread within German society.

In light of Germany’s history of violence against Ukraine in two world wars and other traumatic experiences of Ukrainian society, the Commission sees a special responsibility for Germany to support Ukraine in its struggle for freedom and independence. This responsibility is all the greater as Ukraine’s political freedom andself-determination are of fundamental importance for the future of Europe. We call on political decision-makers in Germany and the European Union to pursue these goals with full determination and to seek peace only on this basis.