February 24, 2026 marked the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The invasion, as well as Russia’s occupation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula since 2014, is illegal under international law. Specifically, Russian aggression violates Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter, which prohibits “the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.” In the last year, however, Ukrainian leadership has been pressured to cede territory to Russia and grant amnesty to war criminals. Under no circumstances should Russia get away with its crimes, negating the rights that have been advocated for since World War II.

Human Rights Violations in the Russo-Ukrainian War

In the last four years, the Russian state has committed many war crimes and human rights violations in Ukraine. Between February 2022 and December 2025, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine recorded 14,999 Ukrainian civilians dead and 40,601 injured. Nearly 6 million refugees have fled the country, while over 3.7 million Ukrainians have been internally displaced as of February 2026. At least 19,456 children have been abducted by Russian forces and subject to illegal adoptions and re-education programs. In response, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, for unlawful deportations. The ICC has also issued warrants for four Russian military officials for attacks against civilians. As of February 2026, emergency power cuts have affected 80% of people within Ukraine, and Russian forces continue to target healthcare facilities and schools.   

Proposed Peace Plans and Their Negative Implications 

In November 2025, the Trump administration proposed a peace agreement between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The original 28-point peace plan called for Ukraine to cede eastern regions to Russia, limit the size of its military, and grant full amnesty for war crimes. Although European leaders have rejected the call for amnesty, Trump continues to advocate for territorial concessions. 

Ukraine should not be expected to cede territory to Russia. Doing so would set a dangerous precedent that countries can use military force to claim foreign land. Former Soviet republics, in particular, would be at risk in such a climate. Russia has occupied Georgian territory since 2008, maintained a military presence in the breakaway state of Transnistria in Moldova since 1992, and invaded Ukraine in part from Belarusian territory. If Putin is granted control over Ukrainian land, he may very well challenge the territorial sovereignty of other states in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. Current peace plan proposals signal that if forces wage war for long enough, Western leaders will grow tired of supplying aid and give in to illegal demands. War criminals may even evade trial as well.

International Responsibilities for Human Rights

The UN Charter, as well as many other human rights treaties, were created in response to the terrors of WWII (1939-1945). Their purpose is to prevent invasions similar to the past aggression of German, Italian and Japanese leaders against sovereign states. Furthermore, treaties outlaw the many human rights violations committed by Axis and Allied powers alike, including the massacre of civilians, oppression of certain ethnic groups, and torture of prisoners. International courts, regional tribunals, and monitoring groups, among other mechanisms, have also been established to hold people accountable for such crimes. Today, Ukrainians face similar violations to the victims of WWII, and the Russo-Ukrainian War is the deadliest conflict in Europe since the Second World War. Yet leaders have hesitated to use critical mechanisms. 

The international community has an opportunity (not to mention a legal obligation as well) to uphold the rights to self-determination, territorial integrity, and accountability in Ukraine. Putin continues to travel overseas, and foreign authorities should arrest and force him to stand trial at the ICC. Although Trump has decreased aid to Ukraine, the European Union has access to hundreds of billions of dollars in frozen Russian assets. In addition, governments can seize Russian oil tankers and implement other measures to strain Putin’s economy. Clearly, international leaders can take numerous steps to support Ukrainian independence. But if none are taken, communities worldwide will be at risk of invasion and violence. 

The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this blog are the author’s only and do not reflect an official position of the University of Minnesota, the Human Rights Program, or the College of Liberal Arts. As an institution of higher education that values and promotes free speech, civil discourse, and human rights we welcome a variety of perspectives and opinions from our student contributors that are consistent with these values.