As the Helsinki Accords Turn 50, Russia Has Broken All 10 Core Principles

The Soviet Union was among the 35 signatories of the Helsinki Final Act. Twenty years after Stalin’s death, Moscow still prioritized military force in its foreign policy, but it was no longer preparing for World War III, as Stalin had obsessively anticipated. 

In 1975, the USSR added its signature to Helsinki. Today, Russia claims to be the USSR's legal successor and has not withdrawn from the agreement, thus recognizing the document’s validity.

The document is particularly significant because it consists of just 10 principles, each designed to prevent armed conflict. On the 50th anniversary of their signing, we examine how one country has blatantly violated every single one.

1. Sovereign equality, respect for the rights inherent in sovereignty

There’s little to add here: Russia not only denies Ukrainian sovereignty but is actively attempting to eradicate it. The Russian State Duma has already incorporated the illegally occupied Ukrainian territories into its official administrative map. For Moscow, large parts of Ukraine—in its internationally recognized borders—no longer exist. Both Ukraine and the entire democratic world deem such so-called "gains" null and void, never to be granted recognition.

2. Refraining from the threat or use of force

Russia launched a war against Ukraine in 2014 and escalated it into a full-scale invasion in 2022. Even earlier, in 2008, it attacked Georgia, and in the early 1990s, it ignited war against Moldova. Russian propaganda tries to justify this as a necessary intervention, but the daily aerial attacks on Ukrainian cities tell another story: terrorism. On July 31 alone, 31 people were killed in Kyiv—including 5 children.

3. Inviolability of frontiers

Ukraine first realized Russia’s unwillingness to respect borders back in 2003, when Moscow ordered the construction of a land bridge to Tuzla Island near Crimea. That conflict was resolved through negotiations. A decade later, the Kremlin dropped all restraint: it launched a military operation in Crimea and held a sham referendum that no civilized country recognized—yet Russia declared Crimea “its own.”

4. Territorial integrity of states

In October 2022, Moscow formally ordered and attempted the annexation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions—despite not fully controlling any of them. The Kremlin launched a large-scale war with the goal of seizing Ukraine.

5. Peaceful settlement of disputes

Even US President Donald Trump, who gave Moscow numerous chances to come to the negotiating table, grew weary of Russia’s refusal to engage in talks. Ukraine and the US both proposed a 30-day ceasefire to start a negotiation process. UNITED24 Media calculated that in the two months following the ceasefire offer, Russia launched over 10,000 drones and various types of munitions, including multiple large-scale attacks using 300+ strike systems simultaneously. Russia is not interested in peace talks—only in war.

6. Non-intervention in internal affairs

Russia has repeatedly declared certain Ukrainian presidents and governments illegitimate, despite Ukraine holding regular democratic elections in accordance with its constitution. Russian interference in elections is a recurring theme—Moldova has accused Moscow of it, Georgia has echoed similar concerns, and European countries have openly spoken out.

7. Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of thought, conscience, religion, or belief

The full-scale invasion revealed Russia’s disregard for the laws of war outlined in the Geneva Conventions. From the outset of the invasion in 2022, Russian forces tortured Ukrainian civilians, raped women, and killed noncombatants. Prisoners of war were also tortured and executed, and access by the Red Cross was denied. In Russian-occupied areas, Ukrainians face the constant threat of being killed or abducted simply for who they are.

8. Equal rights and self-determination of peoples

Ukraine has its own language, history, and cultural traditions. Russia began attempting to erase them in 2014. Occupied territories were forcibly Russified, and residents were pressured to accept Russian passports. After February 2022, this intensified: Ukrainian books were burned, and street names were changed in occupied cities. Anyone with Ukrainian-themed tattoos was tortured by Russian troops. The Ukrainian flag itself became a reason for persecution.

9. Co-operation among States

Ukraine remains open to dialogue with all nations on any issues that might raise concerns or require resolution. Examples include direct negotiations with Romania over Snake Island or settling historical disputes with Poland. Ukraine swiftly established a shared understanding with the US regarding natural resources. Russia, however, is the only country that consistently refuses contact, choosing instead to use missiles and drones. The one successful negotiation—the grain corridor brokered with the help of the UN and Türkiye—functioned so poorly that in its final month, only two ships passed through the Black Sea.

10. Fulfillment in good faith of obligations under international law

Russia has blatantly ignored every international agreement with Ukraine, including its 1991 recognition of Ukraine’s independence and borders. As early as 1992, Moscow attempted to distribute Russian passports in Crimea; in the mid-1990s, it backed an illegal referendum in Donetsk and Luhansk; in the early 2000s, it sparked a conflict over Tuzla; and in 2014, it carried out the illegal attempted annexation of Crimea. Russia fails to uphold any of its international commitments regarding Ukraine.

Why does this matter so much?

Russia didn’t just attack Ukraine. It is systematically dismantling the international order and norms, undermining global frameworks, and doing everything possible to let dictatorship—not democracy—prevail. The UN, OSCE, and agreements like the Helsinki Accords were designed to safeguard peace. Russia is working to destroy all of it—and to place brute force above all else.