COMMITTEE DESCRIPTION

On 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War that began in 2014. The invasion caused Europe's fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War II, with more than seven million Ukrainians fleeing the country and a third of the population displaced.

The invasion has received widespread international condemnation. The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution condemning the invasion and demanding a full withdrawal of Russian forces. The International Court of Justice ordered Russia to suspend military operations and the Council of Europe expelled Russia. Many countries imposed sanctions on Russia, which have affected the economies of Russia and the world, and provided humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine. Protests occurred around the world; those in Russia were met with mass arrests and increased media censorship, including a ban on the words "war" and "invasion".