NRGI Statement on Russian Invasion of Ukraine

NRGI stands in solidarity with our Ukrainian partners and the citizens of Ukraine in the face of the ongoing invasion by Russian forces. The assault is especially appalling given the progress that Ukraine and its people have made toward democracy and transparency.

NRGI works with partners around the world so that citizens benefit from—and are not harmed by—natural resource extraction. It has been our privilege in recent years to collaborate with and learn from passionate advocates of transparency, integrity and accountability in Ukraine, and it is devastating to see their advances attacked and undermined. NRGI rejects all forms of violence, which undermine basic human rights and run counter to the values underpinning our vision and mission.

The crisis in Ukraine exposes once more the staggering challenges of global resource governance. Oil and gas play a central role in the unfolding war. Ukraine is in the middle of a geopolitical race to control access to extractive resources and energy. Vladimir Putin’s regime and many of its senior members depend on returns from Russia’s massive oil and gas industry—wealth acquired in part through partnerships with Western companies—and the Kremlin is using resource wealth to finance its military campaign. Europe’s dependence on Russian oil and gas has limited its options for forcefully responding to Russian aggression. The unfolding war underlines the grave costs of the world’s continued dependence on fossil fuels, and may jeopardize global efforts to accelerate the transition to cleaner energy.

We join our voice with those of our partners and colleagues around the world in condemning this war and calling for concrete action to safeguard the progress made by Ukraine in the areas of democratic consolidation and transparency.