Ukraine
Jus ex Bello and the Continued Justice of Ukraine’s Fight Against Russia
On December 28, 2022, Reinhard Merkel wrote in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that the government in Kiev has a duty to “accept ex bello negotiations and end their unqualified rejection.” His argument invokes a doctrine of just war theory, jus ex bello, which I have played a prominent role in developing.
Russia’s Blood Fossil Fuels
Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the question of whether to continue importing Russian oil and gas has been at the center of public debates in most Western countries. Is it morally permissible to continue trading with Russia—to be more precise, is it morally permissible to buy Russia’s most prized hydrocarbon commodities?
The Ethics of Sweden and Finland Joining NATO
If, as expected, Sweden and Finland apply to join NATO this week, their membership will rattle Russia and exacerbate the geopolitical insecurities of a heavily armed nuclear power. Actions that increase the risk of any kind of war are always open to ethical questioning. How, then, do we address the ethics of their joining NATO?
Expanding Protection: Global Lessons from the Ukrainian Refugee Crisis
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has wreaked devastation and incalculable suffering, triggering the largest displacement of civilian populations in Europe in eighty years. The EU’s response may well prove to be a blueprint for dealing with future incidents of mass influx, whether from war or climate crises or any manner of catastrophe.
Russia, Ukraine, and the Demise of Smart Sanctions
There is no question that the invasion of Ukraine is both illegal and immoral, and there is an understandable desire to use every tool in our toolbox in countering Russia’s aggression. But there is a real question as to whether aspects of the sanctions that are hammering Russia’s economy, or major sectors of it, are ethically defensible.
From Anger to Action: Moral Emotions and the Invasion of Ukraine
For many people, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has triggered strong emotions. These emotions—moral emotions—can be helpful guides to moral action.
Solidarity, Not Neutrality, Will Characterize Western Aid to Ukraine
The war in Ukraine is already causing terrible human suffering, the likes of which is all too familiar from recent wars in Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and elsewhere. But this war is also likely to see a significant change in humanitarianism itself. Many humanitarian organizations, and the governments funding them, will step away from the principle of humanitarian neutrality, which has so dominated western humanitarian aid in the wars of the last 30 years.
A No-Fly Zone in Ukraine? The Perils of Escalation Should Convince Us Otherwise
As the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine unfolds, we have witnessed multiple calls for the West to implement a no-fly zone. How do we ethically evaluate the decision of whether or not to implement a no-fly zone in Ukraine? What criteria are most important to think through the choice? To answer these questions, I turn to jus ad vim, the set of moral principles governing the decision to use limited force.
