The National Interest Foundation Newsletter
Issue 136, March 3, 2022
Welcome to our NIF Newsletter. In this week’s headlines: world leaders condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine as concern grows regarding a major humanitarian crisis, U.S. President Biden delivers his first State of the Union address to the nation, a new report by Freedom House finds that democracy is in decline globally for the 16th year in a row, and food insecurity in Syria reaches disturbingly high levels.
Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Conditions for Ukrainian civilians continue to worsen as Russia faces global condemnation for its actions. (Photo from AP)
World Leaders Condemn the Russian Invasion of Ukraine as Concern Grows Regarding a Major Humanitarian Crisis
Russia has been facing widespread global condemnation from world leaders over its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. In a vote held this week, the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly reprimanded Russia for its actions, demanding a cessation of the fighting and a withdrawal of its military forces from Ukraine. The human rights situation is a growing concern, as a large number of refugees are fleeing to escape the violence. Meanwhile, others who have remained in Ukraine are resorting to safeguarding in subway tunnels or homemade bomb shelters. Particularly troubling are the commonplace accounts of mass civilian casualties and the targeting of residential areas by Russian forces. The destructive assault has sparked fears of a worsening humanitarian crisis both domestically and outside of Ukraine, as civilians are subjected to indiscriminate attacks while the refugees who have left face freezing temperatures, long waits, and a lack of basic accommodations at neighboring borders.
2022 State of the Union Address
In his remarks, President Biden highlighted the largely unified response to Russia’s destructive actions in Ukraine. (Photo from AP)
U.S. President Biden Delivers His First State of the Union Address to the Nation
Earlier this week on Tuesday evening, U.S. President Joe Biden provided a State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress – the first such formal report under his administration. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the last official State of the Union was given by former President Trump back in early 2020. One of the major foreign policy-related themes underlined in his remarks was the broad bipartisan support for Ukraine, as Biden touched on the widespread international unity as countries and entities around the world denounce Russia for its aggression and bellicose behavior. The United States and others have worked to impose punishments in the form of economic sanctions, the termination of the sale of advanced electronics, and the cutting off of Russia’s biggest banks from the international financial system. During the State of the Union address, Biden also announced that the United States would suspend all Russian aircraft from American airspace, and outlined the Justice Department’s intention to aggressively pursue oligarchs and assist European allies in seizing their assets. Some of the other main subjects that he delved into apart from the Russia-Ukraine crisis included inflation, the state of the coronavirus pandemic, and the global battle between democracy and autocracy.
Freedom House Report
This past year saw major pro-democracy movements emerge in response to coups in Tunisia, Myanmar, Sudan, and other places. (Photo from Getty Images)
A New Report by Freedom House Finds That Democracy is in Decline Globally for the 16th Year in a Row
The pro-democracy advocacy organization Freedom House recently released a report showing that worldwide democracy has again declined in 2021, continuing a 16-year trend. The findings are largely attributed to troubling autocratic gains that have come at the expense of democracy, with the report detailing how 60 countries have suffered from a decline in civil and political rights while only 25 have shown improvement. Alarmingly, 8 in 10 global citizens now live in partly free or not free countries, according to the Freedom House Index. Additionally, collaboration between dictators has become increasingly common. Autocratic governments have worked to strengthen economic ties between their regimes, likely trying to negate the effect of sanctions often implemented by the international democratic community. On a positive note, this past year did see major pro-democracy movements emerge in response to coups in countries like Tunisia, Myanmar, and Sudan, demonstrating that the desire for freedom and democracy remains strong among many of the general populations around the world.
Food Insecurity Levels in Syria
Rising prices and decreased value of currency have both contributed to a troubling increase in the number of Syrians who are food insecure. (Photo from WFP)
Food Insecurity in Syria Reaches Disturbingly High Levels
More Syrians require humanitarian assistance now than at any other time since the start of the ongoing conflict in the country back in 2011, according to officials at the United Nations. Recent analysis suggests that in the coming year, an estimated 14.6 million Syrians will be dependent upon aid, with 12 million considered food insecure. Rapidly increasing food prices, the decreased value of currency, and a faltering economy are the leading factors behind the crisis. There are also over 6 million people, including at least 2.5 million children, that have been internally displaced within Syria – the largest such number of citizens in the world. The brutal violence resulting from the long-standing conflict has devastated the country, as continued shelling, armed skirmishes, and drone strikes have all contributed to the humanitarian suffering. The damage to essential infrastructure has further exacerbated the crisis, with many Syrians being cut off from basic services.
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