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As we approach the one-year anniversary of Vladimir Putin’s war of atrocities against Ukraine, it is easy to assume this conflict will drag on for years. However, we have consistently underestimated both Ukrainian resilience and ingenuity, as well as the international community’s willingness to defend the democratic order. Resilience is the very definition of the Ukrainian spirit that has captured the world’s attention and planted the nation’s flag in front of so many homes across the U.S.
The time has come to ask: What happens if Ukraine wins? Will the fierce commitment to freedom and democracy, which the Ukrainians have so clearly shown since the outbreak of the war, prevail? Will the world’s democracies reinforce Ukraine’s democratic trajectory by putting in place an expanded Marshall Plan for reconstruction — including both U.S. and European contributions — to support the transition to post-war political life? Or will they pack up and go home? This is a question just as important to consider today as the provision of tanks, military equipment and humanitarian assistance.
Notwithstanding the brutal conditions on the ground, Ukraine’s decades-long process of democratic reform continues at an impressive clip. In the midst of war, Ukraine’s people and government are more committed than ever to democracy.
According to a recent poll conducted by our organization, the National Democratic Institute (NDI), 95 percent of the Ukrainian population say it is either “important or very important” that Ukraine be a fully functioning democracy. That near-unanimous support has gone up, not down, in the year since the war started. Among those polled, freedom of speech, equal justice for all and free and fair elections were top priorities.
The Ukrainian love for democracy is reflected in debate. Amid power outages, Ukrainian MPs are discussing parliamentary reform. Political parties are meeting with civil society to determine how best to provide humanitarian aid, help internally displaced persons (IDPs) and ensure that the needs of women and marginalized people are taken into account. In addition to documenting war crimes, civic groups are providing input on draft laws designed to protect economic competition, guarantee a free media and address corruption.
