After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the birth of the modern Ukrainian state in 1991, Ukraine has had a complicated relationship with Russia. The Orange revolution in 2004 saw the Ukrainian people reject a pro-Russian presidential candidate, and the Revolution of Dignity in 2014 resulted in the collapse of a pro-Russian government. Meanwhile, the Russian state has tried to maintain Ukraine under its sphere of influence.
On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine under the orders of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Following Russia’s invasion of Crimea in 2014, tensions between the two countries have been especially high, and the recent eruption of rebellion in eastern Ukraine only increased hostility.
Hours before declaring a “special military operation” in Ukraine, Putin officially recognized the independence of Ukrainian separatist states Donetsk and Luhansk. This decision allowed him to invade Ukraine under the false pretext that the Ukrainian government was committing genocide against ethnic Russians. As of March 9, 2022, the United Nations Human Rights Council has recorded 1,424 civilian casualties, and the International Criminal Court has reportedly begun investigating suspected Russian war crimes — including indiscriminate bombing of residential buildings, hospitals, and schools.
The Ukrainian invasion has sparked debate surrounding NATO and American intervention in the crisis. Opinions have ranged across a broad spectrum. Some call for full NATO deployment to the contested area, while others believe that the West should not involve itself in the affairs of other countries.
On February 28, 2022, PAC posed a question to the St Olaf student body: “Do the United States and NATO, as a coalition of several world superpowers, have a duty or a right to intervene on Ukraine’s behalf, following an assault on Ukraine’s sovereignty?” Pac conducted this survey to collect data surrounding student opinions on intervention, although they acknowledge that in the rapidly developing situation student opinion may continue to change.
PAC recorded 73 student responses. Out of these responses, PAC discovered 29 students believe that the US and NATO have a right to intervene on Ukraine’s behalf, 32 students think the US and NATO have a duty to intervene, and 25 students oppose US and NATO intervention. Results indicate that a majority of students support western intervention in the crisis.
The methods by which western intervention could manifest was deliberately left up to the respondents. As one student commented,“I don’t think it is compulsory for the US and the rest of NATO to act, I do think it is their right and perhaps a responsibility for them to bring upon consequences for this unjust invasion, especially in [an] economic regard. I feel like anything further should at least be deliberated on for longer, though I personally wouldn’t be opposed.”
Another student offered a different perspective, sharing, “I wish all the best for Ukraine, but, as history is bound to repeat [itself], getting involved in other countries’ business tends not to end well for the U.S. I hope that there will be minimal bloodshed and creating an all out war could lead to billions of deaths.”
While students generally supported intervention of some kind, most were opposed to U.S. deployment to Ukraine. Additionally, the threat of nuclear war in response to Western intervention raised serious concern from some students.
PAC will continue to monitor the conflict in Ukraine and support student conversations on the topic.
Solomon Potek is from Minneapolis, Minn.
His major is undeclared.
David Janisch is from Wauwatosa,
Wis.
His major is German.
